Stock shortcuts?

[ipsedixit]

Most of the time when I make stock I simmer for at least 2 hours, and generally aim for 3.5 hours.

But, you know what ... life's short and 3 hours is sort of a long time in the grand scope of things.

That said, is there a way to reduce the time needed to make good stock?

Some shortcuts that I've heard about:

1. Vinegar (or lemon juice). I've heard that adding a bit of vinegar, or lemon juice, to the water will dissolve the collagen quicker, but does this really cut down the time needed to make good stock?

2. Pre-roasting. I know that roasting the bones beforehand will generally produce a smokier (and deeper flavored?) stock, but roasting really just adds dimension to the stock -- it doesn't really reduce the cooking time. Or does it?

Any other tips or suggestions on "stock shortcuts"?

[bw2082]

I have luck with just letting the pot rip on high and reducing the water by half or more. It doesn't really save that much time but maybe an hour or so. I strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove the cloudiness that results from boiling vigorously. You could always add gelatin later for the mouthfeel and body.

another thing you can do is use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

or enrich boxed stock with veggies and chicken

[jlbwendt]

Personally, I think anything less than 6 hours is too little. I've found that I just can't extract all of the gelatin and collagen in less time than that. (With fish fumet being the exception.) I'd much rather take the time for a more flavorful, full-bodied stock.

Occasionally I'll start my stock before bed, making sure I've skimmed the scum and it's just barely bubbling in one side of the pot, like is sometimes done in restaurants. Or you can start it early on a day you'll be home, and just look in on it from time to time.

[hohokam]

I agree. Cooking for only 2-3.5 hours already sounds like a shortcut method to me.

My MO is just what you describe...find a day when I have to/can hang around the house all day and start early. I made some beef stock yesterday--started roasting the bones and meat around 9:00am, put roasted bones in the stock pot around 9:45, and then took the pot off of the stove around 6:00. I didn't leave the house all day, but I managed to get plenty of work done while the stock was bubbling away.

To be sure, making stock is a time-consuming process, but fortunately very little of the time is devoted to active prep.

[Mellicita]

To make your stock-making process easier I would suggest two possibilities:

1) a pressure cooker will definitely reduce your cooking time.
or
2) get a slow cooker or crock pot. It will allow you to forget about the stock overnight and deal with it in the morning, or to place the ingredients in the morning, and return home in the evening to your ready stock.

[oryza]

Two nods to Mellecita; both work great... Problem with the pressure cooker is that while it will draw out the collagen, it will also not give you the clarity of the albumin filter which a slow simmer does. Remedy with a pre-pressure cleaning (simmer and scoop until it's tolerably clear). Then again, it's not fatal.

[ipsedixit]

Thanks for the suggestions so far everyone.

Question: Would it be possible to shorten the cooking time by bringing the simmering stock to a full boil for 5 minutes (give or take) every hour or so?

[nosh]

No, raising the heat to a fast boil every so often will be counterproductive. It will muddy the stock with scummy bits, it will toughen whatever is on or in the bones and make them more difficult to extract, and it will complicate both your cooking and the chemical reactions that are occurring and are best performed at a constant temperature.

Two hints: The one mentioned above, roasting the bones (and even the vegies) at a high heat in the oven before placing them in the liquid concentrates flavors, adds some caramelization, and is a great step. Second, stock is similar to potroast, soups and stews in that it improves after chilling and reheating. Chilling the stock quickly, letting it rest in the fridge for a day at most, and then returning it to a simmer can easily produce the benefits of an extra period of time just cooking. Just be very careful that you are chilling the stock in small batches effectively in an ice bath or something else fast -- a big container placed hot in the fridge takes forever to cool and heats up the fridge and thus promotes spoilage and souring. And once you make the stock chill it quickly and thoroughly and then freeze all but that which you will use in the next two days.

[ipsedixit]

Thanks, that's good to know.