Chicken Stock Question - Mine's Dark!

[shel]

OK, I'm not a newbie when it comes to making stock, but I can always learn something. Whenever I make chicken stock, it turns out to be dark in color - not cloudy, but dark. The stock i see in some of the local poultry shops and in a couple of the restaurants is a pale yellow color, sometimes not very deeply flavored, sometimes acceptably rich flavored.

So, how can I get my stock to be a paler color - I do like that nice golden yellow - but without losing any flavor?

Last night's stock was made with about 3.25 quarts of water, just about 4-lbs of chicken (2-lbs drumsticks, 2-lbs backs and necks) and they more or less typical onions, carrots, celery, and bay leaf, and about 13 black peppercorns.

Shel

[even stephen]

Use your chicken as you have, maybe one peeled yellow or
white onion, and 5 or 6 gloves of garlic peeled and mashed.
I use bay leaf and peppercorn sometimes as well, but for a
very light stock, just the onion and garlic. Fresh thyme will
discolor and celery will darken the color a little. Carrot is your
culprit most likely. Good luck.

[cookingwithfat]

Your ingredients are fine, you really do need the mirepoix for a full flavored stock. The question is, what did you do with your vegetables and protein before you began the simmering? Did you roast them? Did you sear your protein? When you began the process did you sautée your mirepoix? And if so, it is possible that some of your dark color came from that. Onions skins will also contribute to a darker color.

If you want a very light stock you can lightly roast your chicken, not so much that it browns, only just sweat your mirepoix, then add your water. I do not like to add too much to a stock that can be added later. For instance, I do not add garlic because I can add that flavor later, nor salt, pepper, wine etc... A sprig of thyme is nice, bay leaf and let it go. Do NOT boil your stock ever.

Also, remember, a dark stock is not a BAD thing, it is just a different stock. I often will make deep dark roasted chicken stocks. They are delicious. Experimenting with stock is one of the best ways to hone your chops as they are relaxing but at the same time allow you to work on real fundamentals like knife skills and flavor ratios. Do not beat your self up over your stock not looking like the one you saw in the store. Instead appreciate what you made for what it is and concentrate on how you can reproduce it if you like it, or change it to become what you want each and every time.

Good luck.

[shel]

Hi,

No, the vegetables were not roasted, nor were they sautéed. The onion had it's skin removed.The chicken never boiled. I started it out on low temp and let it simmer 5 or so hours. It was nicely gelatious when I removed it from the fridge this morning to remove the fat. Well, let me amend that. I quickly boiled the chicken to remove some fat and scum, rinsed it, and then put it into a pot with fresh, cold water, and set it to simmering temp, and the stock was never stirred.

Generally I don't add salt or garlic, unless the stock will be used specifically for something that can benefit from such an addition. Usually I make stock to be used as a base for something else, so additions are always kept to a minimum, or nothing at all above the moirepoix.

For the most part I don't care if the stock is dark colored, but there have been times I wished it were lighter just for eye-appeal for the finished dish.

Nah, I'm not beating myself up - just want to know how I can get full flavor with a lighter stock for those times I want that result. I'll try sweating the chicken and veggies next time and see what happens. Actually, I'll sweat one or the other and see what the results are, and then, on a subsequent stock, I'll sweat the other.

Thanks!

Shel

[cookingwithfat]

Shel,

I am impressed that you went so far as to blanche your chicken first, and at the same time very surprised that you are getting a dark color. Sounds like you are doing an excellent job! Your cooking time might be contributing, perhaps five hours is too long. With light stocks that you are not planning to reduce to demi you can be done in just a couple of hours. That being said, I don't think that would make your stock DARK... perhaps darker, but it sounds like yours is very dark. From what I am hearing now I guess we need to talk about the pot you are using. Cast iron perhaps?

Well, that's all I got... cooking time or pot. You appear to be doing your work textbook and that leaves very few variables. Now, I am curious.

[shel]

Ahh, blanching. So that's the term. Thanks! A Japanese cook taught me that technique around 1991 - I use it frequently.

I always make the stock in either a stainless-lined pot or early Magnalite, which is anodized aluminum like Calphalon. The Magnalite is getting old, so maybe the anodizing is wearing thin and that's contributing to the dark result. But the stock is also dark when made in stainless or simmered for a shorter time. This time it was very dark - darker than usual, but simmered longer than usual as well. I used the Magnalite pot, BTW.

Shel

[shadowchef]

well one thing that you can try is making a white mirepoix. celery, onion, and leeks instead of the carrots. you still get a full flavored stock and a lighter one at that. if the carrots are contributing to the darkness of it then that will help out.

[shel]

Originally Posted by shadowchef

well one thing that you can try is making a white mirepoix. celery, onion, and leeks instead of the carrots. you still get a full flavored stock and a lighter one at that. if the carrots are contributing to the darkness of it then that will help out.

I was thinking along the line of parsnips ....

Shel

[kuan]

Are you using Chinese black chicken?



Actually, are you using an aluminum pot and if you are, are you cleaning it with abrasive cleaner?

[Chad Aaland]

Originally Posted by shel

I was thinking along the line of parsnips ....

Shel

I would go with rutabaga or parsnips. They are more closely related to a carrot than leeks.

[greyeaglem]

This has me really puzzled. I've always made stock with basic mire poix in aluminum stock pots. I even brown the chicken for deeper flavor and have never had a problem with dark stock. At home I have a stainless pan I use with the same results color wise as the aluminum pan. I'll have to watch this thread for the solution. Also, my boss's wife made some chicken soup years ago that everyone just loved. Some customers asked me what the little black balls in it were. I had just assumed they were peppercorns until I looked closer and realized they were allspice berries. Allspice adds a wonderful dimension to chicken stock. You have to experiment with the right amount. It should be like makeup, it adds something but shouldn't be identifialble. If you taste it and can tell right away there's allspice in it, you used too much. The only way to get a deep natural yellow to my knowledge is to add chicken feet to the stock ingredients. This grosses me out, so I cheat and use egg shade to bring up the color. If you can't figure out what is causing the dark color, you could try adding a little lemon juice. Sometimes that will lighten a stock a little. If you don't use much it shouldn't really affect the flavor.

[shel]

HI,

I'm just going to have to experiment a bit with different ingredients and proportions. I was thinking about chicken feet to add more flavor - they don't gross me out in the least. Allspice sounds like it might be a nice addition at times - maybe about for or five berries to a pot as a starting point.

What's "egg shade?"

Thanks for your comments,

Shel

[castironchef]

I, on the other hand, LOVE chicken's feet. Not only for stock making, but as a dim sum goodie, with black bean sauce. Mmmmm.

So, you see. There are about as many approaches to chicken stock as there are cooks. Experiment and see what works well for you.

[even stephen]

Pretty funny Kuan. OK so don't add the garlic. Honestly though, if
allspice seems milder, use it. I cook at home from scratch about
95% of the time. I have 3 kids. My wife is Mexican so Chicken broth
plays a big part in our eating habits. Its a by product when making many other dishes. Onion, chicken, and water will give you a full flavored pale yellow stock. 3 or 4 hours max. If you blanch your chicken thats just fine, but, if you bring it up to a simmer very slow and form that raft or layer of fat
and impurities, it will be fine. You can skim it or just strain and pour off
the fat. No big mystery that carrots and sometimes celery will darken a
stock. Another thing, remember, better chicken, better stock.

[gonefishin]

Hmmm...interesting thread.

I have the same results with almost identical cooking methods/ingredients. I've used the same method using SS, AA and enameled cast iron all with the same results.

I usually use two unroasted chickens (cut in half) with the water going an inch and a half over the chicken pieces. Two onions (skinned and halved), one large carrot, one large celery stalk, peppercorns, one halved garlic (at times) , fresh parsley, etc.

I never exceed a simmer but I do cook it for about 5 hours. I've always attributed the dark color to the long simmering time. But now I'm not sure??? The results are always a nice gelatinous rich stock...but always dark.

I'll also be watching this thread for answers. Maybe I'll also try the recommended shorter simmering time.

thanks,
dan