A stock is the liquid resulting from the cooking of bones, vegetables and herbs so as to extract their flavours, nutrients and salts. Stock is the foundation of many kitchen preparations including soups, sauces, stews and fish and rice dishes. The importance of good-quality stock cannot be underestimated, particularly in European traditional cookery. The two main kinds of stock are white stock and brown stock, the name being determined by the type of bones used, e.g. white veal stock made from veal bones for making a veloute and brown beef stock made from beef bones coloured in the oven for making a brown sauce. The vegetable flavourings used in the making of stocks and sauces can consist of large trimmings and end-pieces left from other uses.
The secret of stocks is slow gentle simmering.
If the liquid is the slightest bit greasy, vigorous boiling will produce a murky, fatty-tasting stock. Skimming, especially for meat stocks, is vital too as fat and scum rise to the surface they should be lifted off with a perforated spoon, perhaps every 10 or 15 minutes.
Vegetables and bones should be evenly well browned not burned to make good brown stock.