Wow, thanks for such a lengthy explanation. Your suggestions are very enlightening!

Yes, nappage is the word I was looking for, good to know about not checking it as it's simmering.

Unfortunately my only source for veal bones does not chop them up smaller and they come frozen. I don't have a cleaver but was thinking of a vise and chain saw--they were massive! I just realized with those huge bones, I probably used far more water than needed. So that may also explain the "weak" broth.

Great tip on thawing in a bag!

Actually my dark chunks looked like your dark chunks, weird, still sketchy on that one but I'll start practicing on chicken, as suggested.

The other videos I mentioned were on Youtube and other sources on the net which I watched long before I found Rouxbe.

I did roast the veggies but probably didn't use enough of them.

I hope this is going to be helpful for anyone else trying to make demi glace so they don't make the same mistakes I did.

Rouxbe rocks!!!

I make alot of pot roast's can you add this to your pot roast and now i also relize why my pot roast gravy is always to light ..maybe this will help i am not sure ?

You can definitely use demi glace as the liquid for your pot roast. It will add delicious flavor and color. Depending on how far you have reduced it though, it could be too concentrated. You might want to try adding 1/2 demi glace and 1/2 water (taste it and see). You can also just use all veal/beef or even chicken stock that hasn't been reduced.

This lesson on pot roasting provides a lot of information on liquids, ratios and developing flavor and color by searing the meat first. Hope this helps!

Hey guys, thanks for all the tips and I know this has been touched on before but I just want to clarify:

In my Leiths Techniques Bible it states that although veal bones are often used for their gelatinous quality, they themselves impart limited flavour so for more flavour use a combination with beef. Would you agree? What I mean to say is, would the flavour shift between delicate to strong depending on the ratio of beef to veal or would you stick to your guns and say all veal is better

Thanks!

:).. it scares me... I want so much to try but I'm worried I'm going to get all the ingredients and ruin it all. I think I over analyse everything! I'm worried if I order bones from the butcher they're gonna be not as fresh, and not the best selection (neck & back v thigh and drumstick bones etc). I'm worried if I try to save my own by whole boning chicken it's going to take forever!

I'm thinking of having a go at whole boning and rolling a free range chicken in the freezer, then using the whole chicken carcass for my first attempt at stock...

Hi Kevin,
Of all the techniques, making stock has been the one I've concentrated on the most in the months I've been here. Perhaps the best advice I've seen on the forums is to not over think it.

Pick one type of bone, follow the fundamental stock lesson, and get started. There's plenty of time to modify and experiment in more complex ways.

I began sometime this summer and usually have a new jar of either beef or chicken stock at least once every two weeks. I plan meals around that sometimes. For a few reasons, no two of my stocks have been the same, but that's fine. They have all contributed tremendously to what I put on the table in the end.

Good luck and keep it simple.

Hi Kevin,

Jim passes along the best advice. Don't over think it. If this is your first try at making dark stocks though, start with a Dark Chicken stock. the ingredients are very inexpensive and about the only thing that can happen negatively is that you a) over caramelize the bones or mirepoix (which would impart a slightly bitter flavor to your stock) or you boil it accidentally and your stock will be cloudy (but it's still usable so don't be too concerned over this one).

Follow the steps in the Stock Making Fundamentals lesson, bring it to a simmer and then walk away. Let it do its thing.

As for Veal and Beef. Some chefs don't really even like to make Beef Stock, but it's completely okay in our opinion. Veal, however, does impart an amazing flavor. But keep in mind that as you begin to make stocks, you can vary things up by mixing in chicken bones, lamb bones, it's doesn't really matter. What matters is the end flavor profile you want, which interestingly enough, you can even modify at the end of the stock making process when making a sauce or through the short stock method. Good luck.

Cheers
Joe

Thank you. That's reassuring. Though it's seemingly against my nature I'm going to try and follow Jim's advice and remember to "keep it simple". I think that's my biggest hurdle in the kitchen. I overcomplicate things in my head and consequently I'm disorganized because I spend too long on every stage rather than just getting on with it. It's so frustrating! I've been a member for over a year and I've only sought advice a few times and it's good to know you are available for guidance. Thank you for taking the time.

Has anyone ever made and tasted the classic Demi glace using sauce espagnole? I am curious how it compares to the recipe taught in the video. I have a book called The complete guide to the art of modern cookery by Escoffier with the recipe for the classic demi glace and wonder if it is worth making and want to know what difference there is between the contemporary version. I just purchased veal bones to make my first veal stock, they arent too easy to find. Also some recipes show using beef bones in addition to veal bones, I am assuming that may add more flavor. Do you have any experience with that and is that worth trying?

If you search for "sauce espagnole" in the forum discussions you will see a few threads on this subject. Cheers!