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Stock

This is a liquid or jelly containing the juices and soluble parts of meat and certain vegetables extracted by cooking, for the purpose of making soups, gravies or sauces. Such a broad definition leaves much to the discretion of the cook, and it is not, therefore, surprising that stock is as varied as the purposes for which it is used, and even more so, as every cook has his or her own fancy in the preparation of stock, and many are compelled to use whatever may be at hand. Bones and trimmings of meat make good stock, and as these need to be cooked for a long time they should be set near the fire after once boiling up, in a stockpot, the best of which are fitted with a tap or faucet so that any quantity can be drawn off at a time free from the fat which naturally floats on top. When the stock is cold a cake of fat will be found on the top, which can be removed by passing a knife around between it and the sides of the pot. It can then be lifted off and carefully cleared of the jelly and the jelly wiped over with a cloth wrung out in hot water. If the stock be required before it has had time to cool, and the stockpot has no tap, then most of the fat can be removed by straining the stock several times through a napkin dipped repeatedly in cold water. In the following recipes full directions will be found.