Brown Veal Stock

 
Ingredients
  • 2 ounces vegetable oil, or as needed
  • 8 pounds veal bones, including knuckles and trim
  • 6 quarts cold water
  • 1 pound mirepoix, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 sachet d’epices
Method:
  1. Heat a roasting pan with enough oil to lightly film it in a 425° to 450°F oven. Spread the bones in the pan and return to the oven. Roast the bones, stirring and turning from time to time, until they are deep brown, 30 to 45 minutes.
  2. Transfer the bones to a stockpot large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients. Add 5½ qt of the water and bring to a simmer at 180°F.
  3. Remove the excess fat from the roasting pan and reserve for making the pinçage. Return the roasting pan to the oven or place it on the stove top. Caramelize the carrots and onions. When they have attained a rich brown color, add the celery and cook it until it begins to wilt and shrivel, 10 to 15 minutes. (Celery will not brown very much because of its high water content.)
  4. Once the proper color of the mirepoix has been attained, add the tomato paste and continue to cook slowly until the pinçage has a rich brick reddish-brown color. Once the tomato paste has been cooked, remove the mixture from the pan.
  5. Add the remaining water and deglaze the fond off the bottom of the pan. Reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency. It is now ready to be added to the stock.
  6. After the stock has simmered for about 5 hours, add the mirepoix mixture, reduced deglazing liquid, and the sachet. Continue to simmer the stock at 180° to 185°F, skimming as necessary and tasting from time to time, until it has developed a rich flavor, noticeable body, and rich brown color, about 1 hour more.
  7. Strain the stock. It may be used now (degrease by skimming, if necessary) or rapidly cooled and stored for later use.
Brown Game Stock (Jus de Gibier)
  1. Replace the veal bones and trim with an equal amount of game bones and trim. Include fennel seeds and/or juniper berries in a standard sachet d’épices.
Estouffade
  1. Replace half the veal bones and trim with beef bones and trim and add an unsmoked ham hock.