Fond Brun Recipe a.k.a. The Famous Meat Brown Stock Recipe [Beef, Veal, Mutton, Chicken or Game]
Ingredients:
5kg Bones (Beef, Veal, Mutton, Chicken or Game), Cleaned (Wiped) and Trimmed of Fat.
1000ml Tomato Puree
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar, Light
Dash of Olive oil
10L Cold Water, from the tap
700g Mire Poix (Say Mier-pwoa) Vegetables [In Italian, “Sofrito”, or in Cajun Cooking it is called “Cajun Trinity”):
300g Onions, Brown, Diced (Brown Onions are the most aromatic)
200g Celery, Diced
200g Carrots, Diced
(You can have more or less vegetables and do your own combination of the three vegetables as well…)
Bouquet Garni (Herb Bundle):
Parsley Stalks, Thyme, Rosemary, Origanum, Coriander Stalks, Bay Leaf, Lemon Leaf bound together with cotton string.
Epice d’Sachet (Spice Baggie) [Use a small piece of muslin square + cotton string.]
10 Peppercorns, Black
1 Clove
Optional:
1 cup of Medium Bodied Red Wine
Or
1/2 Cup of Port
Or
1/2cup Marsala
or
1 Bottle of Stout, Dark
For them Bones….
Instructions:
1. Place the oven on 200◦C (We need this baby hot for roasting as this will develop gooood caramelisation on them bones for depth of flavour and colour! Whoppeeee!)
2. Place the bones on a baking tray and drizzle with a dash of olive oil (don’t use too much here or your Fond will become fatty!)
3. “Paint them bones” with the Tomato Puree. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pasty bones.
4. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes then take out and turn the bones!
5. Roast for another 20 minutes.
6. The bones should now be nice and Roasty-Toasty…. place them on another tray and set aside to cool.
7. Use the Pan juices from your tray and pour your vino into the tray (or beer, or a bit of water) to “shock loose” any sediment and glorious ‘mini-meat-caramels’ from the bottom.
8. Place back in the oven and “Roast”/ Broil another 10 minutes.
9. Take out and set aside.
Instructions:
1. Place a small dot of olive oil in your pot, place it on GENTLE HEAT (no don’t be hasty hear or your baby will turn our bitter!).
2. Start to gently sauté your Mire Poix Veggies stirring often.
3. You want them to slowly become caramelised, transparent, soft, and sweet, so no “hard heat” at this point, okay?
4. This will take at least 15-20 minutes or so…cover them in between stirrings with a lid to cause them to soften quicker, steam and not burn. Once done, turn off the heat and take off the stove. Cool slightly.
5. Now place your Roasted bones in the cooled Mire poix mix, add the Bouquet Garni and Epice d’Spice baggie tied together with string.
6. Pour 10L of Cold Water onto the bones. Add the Vino. Return to the stove.
7. Keep a jar of water & a large spoon at hand for skimming off the impurities on the top of the stock. Leaving it un-skimmed will cause a murky, unclear outcome. Skim often.
8. Turn on the heat to medium high and stand by – we want Big Daddy here to come to a boil.
9. Once you see the bubbles rolling onto the surface, turn down the heat to a slow simmer.
10. This baby needs to cook for 6-8hrs (Preferably 8) to develop maximum flavour, richness and colour. Gently just “lift” the ingredients off from the bottom of the pot to ensure it is not burning (very gentle “stir”).
11. After 8 hours take off the heat and cool slightly for half an hour. Strain into a clean pot. You can discard the rest and use in your garden as organic compost matter.
12. This Fond is ready to use as is or, chill and freeze.
For a Meat Glaze (To really impress the Meat-lover in your life):
1. Place 5L of the prepared Stock in a pot.
2. Add a new batch of Roasted Bones (use the recipe above, about 1.5Kg of bones).
3. At this point you can also add to the Bone-Stock-Mix about 1kg of Meat on the Bone.
4. Gently Simmer on low heat for 1 hour and strain the stock. Place back on the heat.
5. Now add 1 Litre of your preciously prepared stock to the reduction. Gently simmer into a syrup consistency.
6. Now add another litre of previously prepared stock to the reduction. Simmer and reduce.
7. Repeat this step once more by adding another litre of previously prepared stock to the reduction. This is round no. 3 of adding and reducing stock. This process can be repeated up to Five times as chef August Escoffier’s recipe states. This process ensure a rich, meaty, well developed end result.I know this is a lengthy process, but you will not be sorry!! You will have a glaze consistency from the “3rd “Repeat Stock Reduction Session” that will have a complete “coating ability”…sticky, decadent, meaty goodness that will accompany any meat dish to the full!
8. Strain this sauce once more should it look just a little bit fatty or cloudy.
9. Season & use as is or use as a base to a sauce, soup or in a hearty winter stew.
10. Voila! Music… Clapping… Vino and Fiesta!
Is the “Boef Bourguignon” on yet…?