Basic White Stock - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 -6 5 -6 lbs veal bones or 5 -6 lbs beef bones
5 -6 quarts cold water
8 ounces onions, chopped medium
4 ounces carrots, cubed medium
4 ounces celery, cubed medium
Sachet
1/2 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon peppercorn
3 -4 parsley stems
1 whole clove
cheesecloth

Preparation

If using beef or veal bones, they should be cut into 3-4 inch pieces.
Rinse bones in cold water.
Blanch the bones; place them in a stock pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil.
Drain and rinse.
Place the bones in the stock pot and cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and skim the scum carefully.
Prepare the sachet by placing the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, parsley stems and whole clove in a square of cheesecloth.
Tie with a string, leaving one end long enough to tie to the handle of the stockpot.
Add the onions, carrots, celery and sachet to the stock pot.
Simmer for required length of time: Chicken 3-4 hours.
Beef and veal 6-8 hours.
Skim as necessary.
Add water if necessary to keep bones covered.
Strain through a china cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth.
Cool the stock, vented, in a water bath and refrigerate.