My Veal Stock Recipe

So I gave all of you my version of chicken stock the other day, we will take that post to the next step today with veal. Veal stock is probably the most popular stock made in fine dining restaurants. It is essential to French cuisine and is used for numerous soups and sauces.

Much like my version of chicken stock, this version of veal stock also has a lengthy simmering time. It is important to buy good quality veal bones. Marrow bones are best, that is the bones with exposed marrow. The knuckle bones aren't the best as they do not have enough exposed bones marrow. You might get great flavor, but you will miss out on the gelatin coming from the marrow which is vital for proper sauce viscosity. As with the chicken stock, there are two versions of the veal stock as well, I'll follow up the brown veal stock recipe with the white veal stock variation.


Ingredients:
10 lbs. Veal bones, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and large diced
1/2 lb. celery, large diced
1 lb. Spanish onion, large diced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 leek
1 bunch parsley
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
8 peppercorns
1 cup red wine

Method:
1. Place veal bones in a large roasting pan and roast in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until the bones begin to become golden brown.
2. Place the onions, celery and carrots on top of bones and place back in oven and roast another 30 minutes or until the vegetables begin to brown.
3. Coat bones with tomato paste and place back in the oven again and roast until tomato paste until it starts to brown but do not let it burn, approximately 15 minutes.
4. Place bones and vegetables into a large stock pot along with remaining ingredients. Cover the bones with cold water and bring pot to a simmer.
5. While bringing the pot to simmer, place the roasting pan over a burner and add the red wine. Scrap the bits from the bottom of the pan using the wine to deglaze the pan, add wine and bits to the stock pot.
6. Once water comes to a boil, set to a low simmer, and skim the stock of scum and fat for the first two hours.
7. Leave stock pot on a very low simmer for about 18 hours. Periodically skim excess fat from the top of the pot and add water if necessary.
8. Remove pot from heat and strain stock through a fine sieve. Place into individual containers and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for up to a month.

White Veal Stock Variation:
Skip the step for browning the bones and vegetables. Also omit the tomato paste and red wine. Place all ingredients into stock pot and cover with cold water. Continue through steps 6-8.