Introduction:
A master stock in Chinese cooking is as analogous to that of a sourdough starter and baker. It can be nurtured, raised and then maintained for weeks, months and even years. Legend has it that in China there are stocks that are hundreds of years old, passed down through generations.
The main use of a master stock is to *poach or braise meat which results in the stock imparting a multitude of flavours to the meat, as well as giving the meat a reddish-brown colour; a result due to the presence of soy sauce.
The flavour profile of a master stock is enhanced over time, the improvement of which is a result of the braising or poaching. There are some lines of thinking that states you should only braise one particular meat per master stock, but I have yet to find any real advantage of doing so. For me, the variation of meat types gives the stock a fantastic character.
Like many ancient concoctions a master stock is a formula that has an almost infinitesimal number of variations each usually passed down through generations of families. However, the base of these stocks have key vital ingredients, namely soy sauce, sugar, shao xing wine, spices such as star anise, coriander seed, cinnamon and Szechuan pepper, garlic and mandarin peel.
It is only recently that I have discovered the versatility and amazing character of a master stock and it is a now must-have stock in my humble kitchen.
Safety Aspect:
To keep those nasty little microorganisms away from this liquid gold it’s vitally important that any impurities are removed from the stock once it has been used. Typically I will boil the stock for a few minutes after use, let it cool to room temperature and then leave it in the fridge overnight. I then skim away any fat and strain the stock into a clean container. If I am not going to use it again in the next few days, which is usually the case, I freeze it. It will, however, keep in the fridge for about 4 or 5 days but it must be used again within this time frame otherwise it will deteriorate and become unsafe to use.
Over time the stock level will reduce, mainly to evaporation. To replenish the stock I make another standard batch and then add it to the existing stock. This dilutes the complex flavour structure of the existing stock, but after a few uses it returns; and it also replenishes the flavour with a fresh spiciness.
The recipe here is the variation that I use, but there is nothing to stop you from experimenting and designing a master stock to suit your palette and requirements.
* The term poach means to gently simmer food that is completely immersed in liquid; the term braise means to barely simmer food in a little liquid.
4 comments
No offence dude, but there is no way you can make a regular chinese stock, let alone a master stock in 30 minutes. At the very least you need 2-3 hours to make a young tasting stock; double boiled with an overnight sit in the fridge for a richer tasting stock, and weeks/months/years for a mature stock.
The ingredients you have listed are great if you are making a stock for red meats such as beef and lamb, but not necessarily for chicken or pork.
Chinese stocks are difficult, varied but an absolute joy when you learn to do it right. It is not something you can do in 30 minutes.
Hey Millan Choi, thanks for your feedback, and certainly no offence taken. In fact I love a good open discussion about food.
I will address your response in parts.
You certainly can make the base of a Chinese Master stock with only 30 minutes of simmering. The initial stock is created to extract the flavour compounds from the spices, garlic and mandarin whilst homogenising the soy, wine and yellow rock sugar. The science of extraction suggests that it is a fine balance between extracting flavour compounds so that they maintain their flavour profile and over-extracting which can damage their flavour profile (For a scientific explanation I recommend a book, the kitchen as a laboratory, and in particular chapter 26 ‘Turning Waste in to Wealth: On bones, Stocks, and Sauce Reductions.)
As I have suggested in the introduction to this post the master stock is analogous to a sourdough starter in that it starts off as immature but develops in complexity the more that it is used or fed i.e. for the stock, the more meat that is poached or braised in it, the better the stock becomes.
I make many stock types including vegetable, chicken, beef, lamb, fish stock and court bouillon as examples. Only when making stocks that will be reduced to sauces as in a demi-glace or glace will I double boil. For a Chinese master stock I believe that this would create an intensity which is too much for the braising or poaching of meat. I never use Chinese master stock as a base for a sauce.
With regards to the meat types, for this particular stock I only go on experience here. I am about to post a new dish on this blog, and hence the stock post here, which starts with braising pork loin in this master stock. My experience of Chinese cooking would suggest that the flavours in this stock are complementary with the flavour profile of pork in particular. My current stock is about 8 months old, during which I have poached both pork loin and belly pork, about 10 times in total. The flavour that my mature stock imparts I am very happy with.
I agree that to get a great Chinese stock takes time and care, and my 8 month old stock is one of my pride and joys at the moment. However, I only advise that the initial stock takes 30 minutes. To get the optimum stock, I agree, takes weeks, months, or years.
Best regards Nick
Is there any way I can substitute the wine with any other liquid, while still maintaining a similar flavour profile? Thanks so much
Hi there,
Thanks for your comment. I have used a dry sherry before which does impart a similar flavour, not identical, but certainly respectable. I also hear the gin can be used, although I’ve never tried it.
Good luck if you’re going to make the master stock – it’s such a good thing to have and does mature well with use and age.
Nick