Pork Stock...anyone attempted to do it?

[Texican]

This is for all Badgers like me who fall guilty of the sin of gourmandizing. :redface:

I was looking through Escoffier's magnum opus "Ma Cuisine" the other day. I recently received the book from a very good older friend of mine who is unfortunately suffering from blindness. She can no longer read the small text of the cookbook and so she gave this lovely old tome to me.

I was looking through his recipes for various sauces and stocks. It then dawned on me one night while I was dining on pork ribs and beer with the wife that I've never seen a pork stock made. Being from the Southern part of the US, I've seen people flavor beans and black eyed peas with ham hocks and bones, but never make an entire stock.

I'm wondering if it might be more common in Chinese cuisine, where pork is used a lot more.

Any Badger foodies have any idea about this subject?

[stobes21]

I've made chicken, beef, veal, seafood (I prefer shrimp to fish), and vegetable stocks. I've never even heard of doing pork stock. I wonder if pork bones contain less collagen. The products you mentioned used for flavoring I think get most of the flavor from the meat, which is usually smoked, rather than the bones themselves.

I just looked at the wikipedia entry on stock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_(food))and it indicates that pork bones are considered too greasy for stock. If you trim them well and skim a lot it may work. Let us know how it works out.

[Dennis]

Pork stock is called for in some Mexican recipes and many Asian recipes. I don't know why it isn't more common here. I am guessing it is probably pretty strong or assertive. Most of the stocks used here are more neutral.

[Jim]

When I make a bean soup or split pea soup I make a ham stock.

The secret is to make the stock then refrigerate it overnight and skim it well before using.

Another common stock error to watch for is boiling your stock, you want a gentle simmer.

Hard boiling will make your stock cloudy and unappetizing.

[Rughi]

To add to Jim, don't withhold fatty bits from your stock pot. There is a lot of good flavor and character that can be simmered out of the fat, and after fully refrigerating, the stock will have separated between a gelatinuous lower layer and a fatty upper layer. The fat can be pulled easily off the top, often in one big chunk, to discard or cook with.

Roger

[Emmett]

Ham stock is easy. I've never heard of, nor tried to make pork stock.

[Fnord5]

No, but I am going to try it now. :w00t:
I'll just have to have the guys at work hook me up with some bone and fat trimmings.
I also have the bone remnants of a smoked hock in my freezer, that should go nicely too. :drool:

Will post a step by step photo diary of it too.:cool:

[Jim]

No, but I am going to try it now. :w00t:
I'll just have to have the guys at work hook me up with some bone and fat trimmings.
I also have the bone remnants of a smoked hock in my freezer, that should go nicely too. :drool:

Will post a step by step photo diary of it too.:cool:

You may want to roast them before you make the stock.

[Fnord5]

You may want to roast them before you make the stock.

:biggrin:
I have made stock before. :001_tt2:

[Jim]

:biggrin:
I have made stock before. :001_tt2:

Many of the gents reading this may not have. Your tutorial idea will be of great value in that regard.

[Fnord5]

Gotcha!

I always forget that the majority of people out there haven't made many of the basic things (like stock, bread, marinara) from scratch, rather they buy it already made.

[cthip]

i've never made it personally, but have tasted more than a few great pork stocks.

japanese ramen (not the packaged stuff!) is often served in a pork broth or a combination of pork and another meat. when made well, it is surprisingly clear, light, and clean tasting but still with tons of body/gelatin ("umami" is a japanese term, right?). there are other versions where more of the fat is emulsified into a cloudy/milky broth that is AMAZING and rich, but in no way greasy.

thanks guys, now i'm hungry.

[_JP_]

You may want to roast them before you make the stock.

Definitely roast them bones! Put them in a hot oven (450 F) and give them about a half hour to brown up real good.

You'll need about 2 quarts of roasted bones which you dump into a pot. Boil up about a cup of water in the roasting pan so that you can scrape the bits out of it and add that to the pot, along with a couple of unpeeled broken up carrots, a couple of big unpeeled onions cut in half, couple pieces of celery roughly chopped, and 2 cloves of garlic. Don't peal the garlic either, just smash it and throw it in.

Toss in a couple of bay leaves, about a dozen peppercorns, teaspoon of salt and then enough water to cover the whole mess. Put lid on it slightly cracked and simmer for maybe 4 hours. Add water as needed to keep the whole mess covered.

Strain it all through cheesecloth and chill. Lift the fat off the top the next day and it's good to go. Take this recipe as a basic recipe that you can adjust to your liking. More or less seasonings, perhaps add some parsley, or whatnot. With stocks you don't have to carefully measure out what goes in it.

[homebrewer]

I've also made stock out of just about any critter that is typically used for stock... I try to do it at least twice a month.

I did make pork stock about 6 or 7 months ago, and my advice would be not to waste your time. The end result is just to much..... pig like. I don't even know how to describe it, but the flavor turned out somewhat harsh, strong, and not very pleasant. I can see how it may work well in some asian inspired dishes, but it was not nearly as tasty, versatile or all around useful as chicken stock. For my money, the pinnacle of animals to use for stock would have to be veal... I end up making that more than anything else, and it goes in everything

[The Knize]

Excellent question. I had never heard of anyone making pork stock.

For that matter, does anyone/(that is any national cuisine) make lamb stock?

For pork and lamb and anything else, using pan "drippings" for sauce is probably pretty common.

I suppose that one could make a pitch here that broth and stock are really different items with sometimes very different uses and qualities.

[professorchaos]

Pork stock is certainly not among the classic French fonds de cuisine. A stock made of nothing but pork is far too strong when reduced to a sufficient thickness for a sauce (nappe) and can overwhelm flavors in many preparations. When was still cooking for a pay check, if I wanted/needed a pork flavored stock, I'd make a fond blanc de volaille (white chicken stock) with the addition of either ham hocks or trotters. Also made a game stock (Fonds de Gibier) once and used trotters to give it body. Turned out quite tasty. Would have made it more often but pheasant, hare and venison joints don't show up often in restaurant kitchens.

[nikkuchan]

My grandma always made used home-made pork stock when she made split pea soup. I remember whenever she served it I'd see a giant ham hock sticking out of the pot; she'd leave it in until the soup was all gone. Tasty tasty.

Also, in Japan, Ramen served in a pork-stock soup is a popular dish, and quite good I might add.

[cthip]

i totally forgot. pork stock is a key ingredient in a good cassoulet. so i lied, i have made pork stock before!

[gratewhitehuntr]

Definitely roast them bones! Put them in a hot oven (450 F) and give them about a half hour to brown up real good.

You'll need about 2 quarts of roasted bones which you dump into a pot. Boil up about a cup of water in the roasting pan so that you can scrape the bits out of it and add that to the pot, along with a couple of unpeeled broken up carrots, a couple of big unpeeled onions cut in half, couple pieces of celery roughly chopped, and 2 cloves of garlic. Don't peal the garlic either, just smash it and throw it in.

Toss in a couple of bay leaves, about a dozen peppercorns, teaspoon of salt and then enough water to cover the whole mess. Put lid on it slightly cracked and simmer for maybe 4 hours. Add water as needed to keep the whole mess covered.

Strain it all through cheesecloth and chill. Lift the fat off the top the next day and it's good to go. Take this recipe as a basic recipe that you can adjust to your liking. More or less seasonings, perhaps add some parsley, or whatnot. With stocks you don't have to carefully measure out what goes in it.


I can't add to this.

Stock is basically stock, just be sure to roast the bones for the best flavor.

[urr-lord]

in the spanish food section there is usually a few boxes of ham bullion cubes.i get them once in a while and add them to beans.

[Carlin]

In vietnamese cuisine, I make pork stock all the time. There are two ways I do it, but both are used for quick cooking most vietnamese vegetables for a vegetable/soup side dish to our rice.

The best way I found for it to work, is to take a small amount of ground pork 1/5-1/4lb throw it in a pot with some oil salt pepper and onions and just cook it till the pork is carmalized. Then ill throw in a quart or two of water and simmer for 30-1hr.

Not a stock in American/French sense, but in Vietnam, its delicious!

[Fnord5]

Starting my stock right now.
Picture documentation is happening also, so don't worry.
I have a 16 quart stockpot, which is nearly full.
By the end, I should have 2-3 quarts of broth/stock

[Fnord5]

OK, Here goes:

equipment:
baking tray/cookie sheet
cooling rack/small grill surface
stockpot
Oven/stove.

OK, so I picked up some pork bones from work, the Chops come in with extra meat and bone on them, worthless to eat, but lots of flavor(part ribs part chop)
I also had the leftover bones from a smoked shank(also pork)
Went to the store, bought onions, a large carrot, and a small bunch of celery.
I also got a bit of parsley too.

Cut the onion in 8ths
Celery into 2 inch pieces, I leave the leaves on for added flavor
I had a big carrot, so I split it down the middle, then cut both halves into 2 inch pieces.
A rough chiffonade of parsley, small handful.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/fnord5/DSC00485.jpg
Added all that to the pot, plus 3 bay leaves, multiple turns of the pepper grinder, a tablespoon of salt, and some garlic.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/fnord5/DSC00487.jpg
Place the bones, fat meat on the rack, in the baking pan, and broil till carbonized on the higher up bits and a nice brown color overall. (season with salt and pepper before you put it in)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/fnord5/DSC00486.jpg
Once browned, place in the stockpot with everything else, pour the drippings off into the pot as well.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/fnord5/DSC00488.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/fnord5/DSC00489.jpg
Now, what to do about all this crunchy burnt stuff?
Deglaze with white wine(for pork and chicken(red for beef))
scrape it all up, and deposit into stockpot.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/fnord5/DSC00490.jpg
Get it ALL.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/fnord5/DSC00491.jpg
Cover stockpot till water comes to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and leave uncovered.

Come back in a few hours to check up on it, and give it a taste. If it is weak, let it cook longer.

Oh, I also like to take the bones out halfway through, and scrape all the meat off, and put it all back in.

After the broth is tasting good, strain through a fine sieve, or cheesecloth.
Let cool in fridge, and scrape the fat off the next morning.
Scoop into sandwich baggies and freeze for future use.

[Fnord5]

Update:
For the first hour or so, I was afraid I put too much celery in, as that was the overpowering smell.
But now, 4 hours later, I am getting a distinct aroma of smoked pork(from the smoked shanks)
I have lost maybe 2 quarts of liquid so far, I'll probably be straining in about 5 more hours.


Stock is not for the weak willed, but it is worth it to have better than store bought when you need it.

[The Nid Hog]

japanese ramen (not the packaged stuff!) is often served in a pork broth or a combination of pork and another meat. when made well, it is surprisingly clear, light, and clean tasting but still with tons of body/gelatin ("umami" is a japanese term, right?). there are other versions where more of the fat is emulsified into a cloudy/milky broth that is AMAZING and rich, but in no way greasy.


I've made this before--it's called tonkotsu or "pork bone" stock. Roast pork bones, leeks and maybe some garlic are all that I put in. I haven't done it in a long time, but I'll dig around for a recipe this weekend.