How To Cook Veal Stock

There are two kinds of veal stock; brown and white. The only differentiating factor is whether or not the bones are roasted.

Note: If you’ve already read the chicken stock how to; the process of making veal stock is very similar. The few differentiating factors have been highlighted in bold so you may skim through more easily.

The decision to roast the bones is dependent on the final application of the veal stock. If you are making a traditional Veal Veloute, a white veal stock is needed. If you will be using your veal stock as a rich braising liquid, such as braised beef short ribs, I would recommend roasting your bones first.

To make a roasted veal stock, place veal bones, preferably the knuckle portion, in a roasting pan. Roast in a 450° oven for about 1.5-3 hours or until they are a rich golden brown. Remove the roasted bones, and place the mirepoix in the roasting pan. Give the mirepoix a good stir to coat with the fat rendered from the bones. Mix in tomato paste at the basic ratio of 8 ounces per pound of mirepoix. Place back in the oven until golden brown, (about 45-50 minutes).

If you wish to make a white veal stock, skip the roasting phase and rinse the bones in cold water. From there, place your bones in a stock pot, cover with cold water, bring to a simmer and pour out the water, keeping the veal bones in the stock pot. From there, follow the instructions below.

Veal Stock Recipe

Note: If you are unfamiliar with the definition of a stock or it’s main components, please review the “How to Cook Stock” post before proceeding.

• 5# Veal Bones
• 1# Mirepoix
• 8 ounces onions
• 4 ounces carrots
• 4 ounces celery
• Sachet: 5-10 Peppercorns, 5 sprigs time, 5 parsley stems, ½ bay leaf, 2 whole cloves
• 8 ounces tomato paste, roasted
• Cover bones and mirepoix with at least 3” of water

Veal Stock Procedure

• Place bones in an appropriate sized, heavy bottom stockpot.
• Add mirepoix. The ratio given above is just a guideline, your personal preference should make the final decision.
• Fill the stockpot with enough cold water to cover the bones by at least 2-3”. Cold water is used because some of the proteins contained in the bones will not dissolve in hot water. This may cause your stock to be less flavorful and cloudy.
• Add your sachet.
• Heat the stock on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Allowing the stock to heat slowly will help to dissolve certain proteins and will make your stock more flavorful and clear.
• Once the stock begins to simmer, reduce heat to low/med-low to maintain a slow simmer. Do not allow the stock to boil or it will become cloudy and emulsify the remaining fat from the bones.
• Simmer for 8-12 hours, skimming with a ladle as necessary. A little trick is to pull the stockpot half way off the heat. The fat and scum will collect to one side, making it easier to skim.
• After the stock is finished, pour through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Discard bones, mirepoix and sachet leaving you with only the pure veal stock.
• If you don’t plan to use the stock immediately, pour back into the stockpot and place in an ice bath to cool rapidly. Store in fridge for up to 5 days.
• If you are not planning on using the veal stock in the next five days, reduce strained stock by 3/4s, pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Once the cubes are frozen, remove from ice trays, place in a plastic zip bag, and store in freezer for up to 3 months.
• Your concentrated veal stock ice cubes can be used to fortify a sauce, add flavor to soups, or make a pan sauce a la minute.

For more information, listen to the Free Culinary School Podcast Episode 2 which talks all about culinary stocks.

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