stock problem

On Fri, 24 Feb 2006, Wazza

Really? It's certainly about getting a meat flavour, or perhaps a more general rich savouriness, but is it specifically about a roast meat flavour?

Not that i'm objecting to this way of doing things - it certainly sounds better than unroast stock.

I have an idea. The solidity of the stock is caused by gelatin, right? And gelatin's a protein. Proteins can be broken down by protease enzymes. Proteases can be found in pineapples and kiwis (one called bromelain) and papayas (papain). So, if you take some fresh pineapple juice, bung it in the cooled stock, then stick it in the airing cupboard (bromelain's temperature optimum is 45 celsius) overnight, perhaps you could get the gelatin degraded enough that it wouldn't set in the fridge. Oh, and quickly reboil it afterwards to inactivate the enzyme.

Before anyone complains about nutrition, the protein gets broken down to small peptides, which are just as nutritious as whole protein. My olfactory biology is pretty hazy, but i have a feeling that, if anything, they're tastier than whole protein, too. Although pineappley stock is going to taste a bit weird!

tom

-- We'll never win by being like them. Our best tactic is to be better. Better necessarily means different. -- Jon Rentzsch