Clarifying stock Heston style

[Barb Downunder]

I came across the following recipe from Heston Blumenthals TV show How to Cook like Heston and liked the idea of the stock clarification process described.
Soooo as I suffer from post raft-disaster stress disorder I decided to give it a shot. I severely tested the method (by using a beef broth I had just flung together and neglected a bit so it had boiled rather vigorously and which I hadn't defatted either) and it worked a dream!!
Fantastic process and so doable. Even for committed raft devotees this could be a burning bush technique! LOL


Chicken consommé

1 kg chicken stock, chilled
2 dried jasmine flowers

1. Method1. Pour the chilled stock into ice cube trays and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Once the stock has frozen, remove from the trays (dipping the trays in warm water will help to loosen the cubes).

2. Put the cubes into a sieve lined with two layers of wet muslin set on top of a bowl. Cover the whole thing with clingfilm and return to the fridge to melt gently for 24 hours.

3. Remove the muslin carefully. Pour the consommé into a clean saucepan and place over a low-medium heat to gently warm through. Place a jasmine flower in each bowl before serving.

4. Method1. Pour the chilled stock into ice cube trays and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Once the stock has frozen, remove from the trays (dipping the trays in warm water will help to loosen the cubes).

5. Put the cubes into a sieve lined with two layers of wet muslin set on top of a bowl. Cover the whole thing with clingfilm and return to the fridge to melt gently for 24 hours.

6. Remove the muslin carefully. Pour the consommé into a clean saucepan and place over a low-medium heat to gently warm through. Place a jasmine flower in each bowl before serving.

Servings: 2

Author Notes
Heston: "Consommé is a beautifully clear rich soup but it can be a real hassle to make. However, I’ve found a way to make it at home that’s as good as you’d find in any Michelin starred restaurant. This technique of freezing and defrosting the natural gelatine is great for clarifying any stock. You can then serve it on its own or use it as a base for different flavours such as soy, ginger, garlic, chilli, spring onions, noodles and pak choi.

[Frank Deis]

When we were discussing clarification using the raft method -- I was also aware of the "freeze technique" which has been around for a while. The advantage is that you can get crystal clear broth rather easily. The disadvantage is that while the thawing leaves behind the proteins that cause cloudiness in the broth, it ALSO leaves behind some of the desirable collagen that gives the broth the glutinous mouth feel that makes it taste luxurious to eat. In other words you end up with a kind of chicken "lemonade" and that was unacceptable to me.

[David M. Bueker]

I must say that when I read the thread title I was expecting the use of a firearm.

[Carl Eppig]

Who clarifies stock? We run it though cheese cloth to get stuff out of it, but it is usually murcky. So what?

[Frank Deis]

Carl, I only care if it's a very fancy dinner, and a very fancy soup.

I'd never bother with it for plain old chicken soup because you lose some broth with each clarification step.

[Mark Lipton]

Carl, I only care if it's a very fancy dinner, and a very fancy soup.

I'd never bother with it for plain old chicken soup because you lose some broth with each clarification step.

Frank,
What about ultracentrifugation as a clarification technique? Just pellet out the suspended protein -- what could be simpler? We could call it "biomolecular gastronomy." Whaddya think?

Mark Lipton

[Barb Downunder]

Frank,
your comments re mouth feel collagen are particularly apt. After I had posted I rethought the process and reduced some of the product to determine if there was any gelling quality remaining, and there was not. So useful for some purposes, I'll try a side by side test next stock making session.

Carl
I posted for those who may be interested, that is what a forum is about.

[Frank Deis]

Barb -- what had occurred to me is that one COULD put commercial gelatin back into the freeze-clarified broth.

Don't really know how that would work, but I suppose the product gets more and more artificial...

Mark, might the ultracentrifuge also remove the collagen? And actually when I teach about equilibrium sedimentation, I tell the kids that a soluble protein probably won't pellet -- it's the distribution in solution that tells you the molecular weight. Frankly I haven't actually gotten my hands on an ultracentrifuge so I don't know this for a fact.

[Barb Downunder]

what had occurred to me is that one COULD put commercial gelatin back into the freeze-clarified broth.
Don't really know how that would work, but I suppose the product gets more and more artificial...

Yes that occurred to me as well, I am sure it would work, but as you say getting further and further away! but for a really special presentation I would have a go I think, a really wonderful clear consomme or aspic appeals to me.

[David M. Bueker]

Carl, I only care if it's a very fancy dinner, and a very fancy soup.

I'd never bother with it for plain old chicken soup because you lose some broth with each clarification step.

Frank,
What about ultracentrifugation as a clarification technique? Just pellet out the suspended protein -- what could be simpler? We could call it "biomolecular gastronomy." Whaddya think?

Mark Lipton

Spoof! Spoof!

Next thing you know people will be adding salt, pepper and other things to change the flavor & give their stock more color.

[Mark Lipton]

Carl, I only care if it's a very fancy dinner, and a very fancy soup.

I'd never bother with it for plain old chicken soup because you lose some broth with each clarification step.

Frank,
What about ultracentrifugation as a clarification technique? Just pellet out the suspended protein -- what could be simpler? We could call it "biomolecular gastronomy." Whaddya think?

Mark Lipton

Spoof! Spoof!

Next thing you know people will be adding salt, pepper and other things to change the flavor & give their stock more color.

The Soup Taliban raises its head in calumny.

Mark Lipton

[Frank Deis]

Actually I was having an evil thought that you might be able to make some VERY clear chicken broth with just powdered broth and powdered gelatin!! Chicken Jell-o. Flavor wouldn't be great but it would look nice.

And it's the equivalent of making 2 buck Chuck with Mega-Red and Ethanol, ain't it?

[Carl Eppig]

Carl I posted for those who may be interested, that is what a forum is about.

I guess people from down under don't have the same sence of humor as people from up over.