For 38 years, the first task Tung would tackle each day upon arriving at the restaurant was to prepare three pans of stock: one for light soup, one for hearty soup, and one to use in various dishes. Nowadays, we make stock in larger batches, portion it into 2-cup containers, freeze it, and pull it out as needed. I’m excited to share with you the recipe and techniques for making a good, versatile stock, so you'll always have a flavorful base ready for your cooking.
Stock Recipe
Yields About 5 Quarts [4.7 L]
Ingredients:
- 4 lb [1.8 kg] chicken backs, necks, or feet, or any raw chicken bones with the meat scraped off, large pieces of fat trimmed
- 3 lb [1.4 kg] beef short ribs, beef neck, or soup bones (or 1½ lb [680 g] plus 1½ lb [680 g] cow’s feet)
- 2 lb [910 g] pork neck or back bones, or any other pork bones
- 2 lb [910 g] turkey wings or legs
Instructions:
-
Prepare the Bones: Rinse the chicken backs, short ribs, pork bones, and turkey parts under cold running water to remove any bone fragments.
-
Start the Stock: In a large pot, combine all the bones with 6 quarts [5.7 L] of cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. As it heats, skim off any scum that rises to the surface and give it a stir.
-
Simmer: Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue simmering for 1 hour, occasionally skimming off any scum, stirring, and skimming again.
-
Continue Cooking: After 1 hour, stop skimming and stirring. Let the stock gently simmer for an additional 2 hours. Resist the temptation to increase the heat, as this can make the stock cloudy.
-
Finish the Stock: Turn off the heat and let the stock sit for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the fat to rise to the top. Skim off the fat, then strain the stock through a large fine-mesh strainer.
-
Adjust & Store: You should end up with about 4½ to 5½ quarts [4.3 to 5.2 L] of stock. If you have less than 4½ quarts [4.3 L], add water to reach the desired volume. If you have more than 5½ quarts [5.2 L], continue simmering until it reduces. Use the stock immediately, or cool and transfer it to airtight containers. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.