FOOD NEWS
The Differences Between Brown And White Stocks, And When To Use Each
BY TOM MAXWELL
While homemade stock is always a great way to make a dish tastier, some stocks are better for certain recipes than others. Notably, brown and white stocks are very different.
Both brown and white stocks are made with vegetables, aromatics, and meat bones with plenty of collagen to make the broth rich. However, these stocks are cooked differently.
When making white stock, you have to clean the bones of impurities like blood that could make the stock dark in color. The bones are blanched before the stock is actually made.
However, some cooks believe that blanching dulls the flavor of the stock, so they start cooking the stock right away and skim off impurities by hand, or strain them out afterward.
What makes brown stock different is that the meat bones and sometimes the aromatics are roasted before they're boiled. Roast your ingredients at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.
Robust, savory brown stock is perfect for heavier meals like stews, while delicate and clean-tasting white stock pairs with lighter recipes for soups, risottos, and seafood.