Vegetable broth

Or from any type of dried mushrooms - when I rehydrate dried porcini mushrooms, I filter the liquid through paper coffee filters. Very flavorful.

Tub of Minor’s Chicken Base is in permanent residence in my fridge, but when I do make chicken stock from scratch, I use chicken wings (lots!) and roast them first.

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Technically there are two types of chicken stock: fond blanc and fond brun. For the latter the bones and mirepoix are browned. I usually make fond blanc with chicken and fond brun with turkey or duck.

I’m tempted to mix in a handful of different kinds of mushroom to rehydrate together. Maybe even other dried vegetables. I’ve been getting in to camp cooking, and could definitely see applications for this out in the woods.

I would love a good explanation of using the term stock here. I was taught in kitchens that called it stock if it included bones. Since vegetable treatment involves no bones, it seemed logical to call if broth. I could see calling it stock if you added a bit of gelatin, but I do that only on the rare occasion where I make a riff on a demi by reducing it and adding a vegetarian riff on an Espagnole.

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The authoritative Larousse Gastronomic refers to it as “vegetable fumet.”

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Probably the one classic I never bought. Thanks for the illumination. I had been using fumet too narrowly (incorrectly?), fish and shellfish.

I found one at a used bookstore years ago. It’s a fun reference text. As far as I know, fumet refers to a product made with fish bones while that made from shellfish is called stock. Of course, this is all rather nitpicky in the best French culinary tradition.

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I am fine with being nit-picky about language. Precision leads to consistency which minimizes confusion and ambiguity.

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I’ve done both blanc and brun with chicken; I think the roasted chicken product tastes better. I’m not making anything that needs a blanc product!

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I like the blanc for some sauces, especially velouté. But I agree that the brown version is richer.

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I have a very simple chicken in a cream and tarragon sauce that is my main dish that uses blanc. It might be better with brun, but it would not be as pretty. I find it odd that I, the champion of casual plating, go classic on this dish. It may have something to do with the time and place I made it in the 1960s.

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I’d do the same, lol.


I’ve found Minor’s bases (all of them that I’ve tried) to be the best I’ve ever had. I don’t find it often around here, though, so I’m happy enough with BTB when I need something in a hurry. I actually use the BTB more often to flavor a dish, like stir-fries, than I do to make broth.

When not in a hurry (and when enough odds-n-ends have accumulated in the freezer), I do basically the same as Tim for veggie broth except I use the Instant pot and also toss in a celery stalk (if no ends in the freezer) and some powdered mushroom. Nearly always I use it up right then. By the way I find mushroom powder wets well enough if I make a low-water paste to start off with, like one might do for a wheat flour thickening slurry. (this last bit was responding to Erica’s (@greygarious) comment above)

I’ve got so much broth and stock in the freezer right now (30+ quart bags between beef, chicken/game hen, duck, turkey, lobster/shrimp, and even a couple of pork - but not ONE of veggie broth) that I’m wanting summer to be over so we can get back into Soup Season.

I didn’t know you could buy commercially prepared mushroom powder until maybe 6 or 7 years ago, when someone on CH told me about it. I’ve always just made it at home - let a few dry when I’m using fresh mushrooms of any sort, then when I’ve got a fair bit saved I make powder in the spice grinder.

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I order a box of various Minor’s flavors every fall. I’ve never seen it for sale, although I understand BJ’s has it sometimes.

BJs was my source when I lived in South Carolina. Do you get the variety pack directly from Nestle’? Or Amazon? I took a quick peek at Amazon but may have missed it. Also surprised at the price, about $9 per tub. I guess I haven’t been paying attention.

I think it was from a site called SoupBase, but sometimes Amazon has some of the flavors. Nope, it’s not cheap, but I buy it anyway.

Here it is:

SoupBase

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I am a fan of the freezer bag method of making stock/broth/whatever. I no longer have a yard, garden, and compost bin so making stock out of veg scraps makes me feel less guilty about throwing them in the garbage.

No, really, it is titled and is about “vegetable broth” even though you may want to argue the meaning and definition of the word broth and stock, but the title is “Vegetable Broth” – I kid you not.

See for yourself. :smiley:

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Ah, but it posted by a person who loves tangents and even wholly new subjects!