Cooling and diluting over-reduced stock down with cold water

I've just had a brown chicken stock on the simmer for the last 8 hours, not planning for that long but got called out. Nonetheless, the liquid has reduced by about 1/2 - 2/3.

Would taking it off the heat now and adding cold water to both bring the liquid quantity back up and cool the stock for refrigerating be an appropriate rescue?

stock

Best Answer

I have to ask, why would you want to add water? Chicken stock should simmer 8 hours. That is the optimal time to extract all flavours. What you have there is (probably) perfect. However, if you don't want as much flavour, add the water later, not now. Also, to cool, the best way to do it is in an ice bath or a cold water bath (one where there is a constant slow source of running cold water).

Pictures about "Cooling and diluting over-reduced stock down with cold water"

Cooling and diluting over-reduced stock down with cold water - Snow Covered Field

Cooling and diluting over-reduced stock down with cold water - Rain Drops

Cooling and diluting over-reduced stock down with cold water - Close-up of Water Droplets Against Blue Background

Can you dissolve stock in cold water?

Yes, they do. Just see how flavorful a stock you'd get by soaking the ingredients for hours in cold water, without ever simmering them.

Why do you add cold water to stock?

Certain proteins, most notably albumin, will only dissolve in cold water\u2014and albumin helps clarify a stock. Therefore, starting a stock with cold water helps release the albumin, producing a clearer stock.

How do you cool down stocks?

Cool quickly and completely One way to do this is to chill the stock in shallow, uncovered containers\u2014less than 3-1/2 inches is good. In a deeper container, the stock would stay in the danger zone for hours. A faster, more efficient way to cool stock quickly is to use an ice bath.

Can you over reduce stock?

The more you reduce your stock, the more intense the flavor becomes. Be careful though, as the salt doesn't leave with the water. If you reduce too much, you may end up with an overwhelmingly salty stock.

Mixer shower problems: 4 most common mixer shower faults + repair tips.

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Aleksandar Pasaric, invisiblepower, Pixabay, Lum3n