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18 replies

reducing stock

A aphillaMember
I thought it would be fairly easy to find an answer to this, but I'm failing. How long does it take to reduce a stock by simmering? Maybe that isn't such an easy question. I certainly couldn't find it on the web or as a general answer in my cookbooks.

Here's why I'm asking: I'm making the French laundry veal stock. I've done it before from 2nd hand directions now following theirs. All is going smoothly but I'm really puzzled by the final step. In it you combine the original stock with the remouillage and reduce it. No problem. But, they assert that you start with between 16 and 20 quarts and after bringing it to a simmer and simmering (60-90mins) and simmering for 6-8 hours, you'll have 2 quarts left....

I has a skeptical.

(I'm on step 3 and started with about 12 quarts and I don't see any way even that is getting down to 2 in 8 hours).
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BRRBRRMember
There's no way it'd reduce by that much that quickly. Now that you bring it up, in nearly every recipe that I've ever read, it seems, the author's time estimations to either 1.) reduce by [half, etc.] or 2.) Sweat/sauté until soft, etc. are way, way too short.

I'd guess, very loosely, that going from 20 quarts to 2 would take the better part of a day!
G g-manMember
this is where my trusty portable induction stove top does wonders!

but it's rather silly to lose that much liquid in my opinion, you know how the house smells great after such a long simmer?

you lose alot of oils and flavors by reducing that long.

i keep it covered and simmering . reduction in liquid be damned. esp for a stock.

the only time i would reduce volume like that is if i'm making a sauce
doubleddoubledMember
quote:
Originally posted by g-man:
the only time i would reduce volume like that is if i'm making a sauce

Umm ... I thought that is why people make stock -so that they can use it as a base for a sauce. Smile If you are using it for a braise or soup, it would either be redundant or just plain crazy. I do agree it is a lot of liquid to reduce. That probably explains why it is so freakin expensive to eat there!
G g-manMember
quote:
Originally posted by DoubleD:
quote:
Originally posted by g-man:
the only time i would reduce volume like that is if i'm making a sauce

Umm ... I thought that is why people make stock -so that they can use it as a base for a sauce. Smile If you are using it for a braise or soup, it would either be redundant or just plain crazy. I do agree it is a lot of liquid to reduce. That probably explains why it is so freakin expensive to eat there!


never use it to make rice?

jambalaya?

gumbo?

cassoulet?

all that stuff requires alot of liquid

i'd say the best way is to probably put everything in a pressure cooker and cook it up that way
G g-manMember
quote:
Originally posted by DoubleD:
I agree that you need a lot of liquid to make those dishes you mentioned, but to use stock that's been reduced that much? That's sauce territory.

To make jambalaya, gumbo and such just requires a rich broth. You get flavor from the other ingredients that you are braising or cooking together for a long time.


no they require a rich stock, and you add seasoning to taste.

what requires a rich broth is if i make a consumme or a soup

regardless, the volume of liquid in question is irrelevant, the point still is, if you reduce something that much you basically evaporating alot of the stuff yer trying to extract out of the liquid base.
A aphillaMember
It turned out a little thicker than what I'd expect for a stock but not anywhere near what I'd call a demi-glace.

I used a cup of it in a sauce tonight and I fear I'm not going to like it that much. It has too much tomato flavor. When doing it second-hand, without the recipe, I didn't realize they used so much tomato paste. I just put it in, and, sure enough, it tastes tomatoey.
G g-manMember
quote:
Originally posted by aphilla:
It turned out a little thicker than what I'd expect for a stock but not anywhere near what I'd call a demi-glace.

I used a cup of it in a sauce tonight and I fear I'm not going to like it that much. It has too much tomato flavor. When doing it second-hand, without the recipe, I didn't realize they used so much tomato paste. I just put it in, and, sure enough, it tastes tomatoey.


add butter to it
M machineMember
That sounds good B-O.

I worried Keller's stock would be too tomatoey also but it wasn't, and I reduced all the way to use for sauce. After I combined the strained initial stock and strained remouillage I let 'er go to a rolling boil to reduce, didn't take that long, house smelled great, didn't notice a big impact on flavour but I also can't recall the last time I reduced the strained stock by maintaining only a simmer.

Gman unreduced veal stock for general stock/broth applications? I'm envious...I'm not industrious enough to make veal stock that frequently, though I do make a lot of chicken stock so maybe I should just source veal bones more frequently.

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