PREPARING STOCKS, SAUCES and SOUPS Part 1 | ALL ABOUT STOCKS AND SOUPS | COOKERY 10

Summary

This lesson introduces the art of preparing stocks, sauces, and soups, essential for commercial kitchens and catering. It outlines principles for making clear stocks from meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables, emphasizing the importance of cold water, simmering, and skimming for clarity. The video also covers stock ingredients, their proportions, and classifications, including white, brown, fish, and vegetable stocks. Soup making is explored, highlighting the use of thickening agents and the three main categories: clear, thick, and specialty soups. The lesson concludes with a reflection on the quality of sauces and soups depending on the stocks used, tying back to the principle of reaping what is sown.

Takeaways

• 🍲 Stocks are foundational liquids in cooking, made from meat, poultry, fish, bones, vegetables, and seasonings, used to prepare soups, sauces, and specialty dishes.
• 💧 The first principle of making stocks is to cover ingredients with cold water to allow impurities to dissolve and rise to the surface for easy removal.
• 🔥 Stocks should be brought to a boil then simmered at around 185°F (85°C) to extract flavors without causing the stock to become cloudy.
• 🧊 Skimming is a crucial step in stock preparation to remove fat and impurities that can cloud the stock.
• 🍖 After cooking, stocks should be separated from solids to maintain clarity, and care should be taken to not disturb the solids during this process.
• 📏 Stocks are often made in large quantities and must be cooled and stored properly to prevent foodborne illnesses.
• 🧊 Refrigeration causes fat to rise to the surface of the stock, forming a layer that helps preserve it; stocks can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for longer storage.
• 🥕 Stocks are composed of a nourishing element, mirepoix, bouquet garni, and liquid, typically in a ratio of 5:1:1:10.
• 📊 Stocks are classified into white, brown, fish, and vegetable stocks, each with specific ingredients and preparation methods.
• 🥣 Soups are versatile dishes that can be served hot or cold, clear or thick, and can be made from a variety of ingredients including stocks, thickening agents, and garnishes.
• 🍲 Soups are categorized into clear, thick, and specialty soups, with each category having its own unique characteristics and preparation techniques.

Q & A

What are the key skills and knowledge areas covered in lesson five of preparing stocks, sauces, and soups?

Lesson five covers the principles of making stocks, classifying stocks and soups according to ingredients used, and the attitudes required for preparing various stocks, sauces, and soups in a commercial kitchen or catering operation.

Why should ingredients for stocks be covered with cold water initially?

Ingredients should be covered with cold water to allow blood and impurities to dissolve and rise to the surface as the water heats, making them easier to remove by skimming, which helps prevent the stock from becoming cloudy.

What is the recommended temperature for simmering stocks and why?

The stock should be simmered at a temperature of approximately 185 degrees Fahrenheit or 85 degrees Celsius. This temperature allows the ingredients to release their flavors into the liquid without causing impurities and fats to blend with the liquid, which would make the stock cloudy.

How often should a stock be skimmed during cooking?

A stock should be skimmed often to remove fat and impurities that rise to the surface during cooking to prevent the stock from becoming cloudy.

Why is it important to separate the liquid from the solid ingredients after cooking a stock?

Separating the liquid from the solid ingredients after cooking a stock is important to keep the liquid clear. Disturbing the solid ingredients when removing the liquid can cause the stock to become cloudy.

How should stocks be stored after cooling, and for how long can they be kept in the refrigerator or freezer?

Once cooled, stocks should be transferred to a sanitized, covered container and stored in the refrigerator. Stocks can be stored for up to one week in the refrigerator or frozen for several months.

What are the four main ingredients of a stock and their general proportions?

The four main ingredients of a stock are the nourishing element, mirepoix, bouquet garni, and liquid. They are usually mixed in the proportions of five parts nourishing element, one part mirepoix, one part bouquet garni, and ten parts liquid.

What is the difference between white stock and brown stock?

White stock is made from chicken, beef, veal, or fish bones simmered with vegetables and is generally colorless. Brown stock gets its color from roasting ingredients without water in a hot oven, giving it a brown color.

What are the three major classifications of soups?

The three major classifications of soups are clear soups, thick soups, and specialty soups.

What are some common thickening agents used in soups?

Common thickening agents for soups include roux, rice, pasta, vegetable puree, potato, and beans.

How does the preparation of stocks, sauces, and soups relate to the principle of 'what we reap is what we sow'?

The quality of sauces and soups depends on the stocks used as their base, emphasizing that the effort and care put into preparing stocks will be reflected in the final outcome of the sauces and soups, illustrating the principle that good actions in life lead to good results.