Cassell's dictionary of cookery

"When stock has been made from fresh meat free from fat, and when there has been no great preponderance of bones, if care has been taken — first, that the stock did not boil too furiously; secondly, that the stock was strained ofi" carefully and through a fine cloth — it will generally be found that the stock will be clear enough for all ordinary purposes. Sometimes, however, it will be found that, notwithstanding every precaution, the stock will present a cloudy appearance ; or again, sometimes it may be wished that the stock should be not merely clear, but absolutely bright. When such is the case, the best method of clearing stock is as follows :— We will suppose the quantity of stock required to be cleared to be two quarts. Take the whites of two eggs separated from the yolks, and be veiy careful that no tinge even of yolk be with them. Place these two whites in a basin, breaking up and adding the egg-shells if clean, and add neai-ly a tumblerful of cold water, and mix it well up till the whole froths on the top, then pour this into the saucepan or vessel in which the stock is, which ought not, however, to be boiling at the time. Mix it all well up, and place the saucepan on the fire to boil. While it gently boils, skim it thoroughly, then stir it all up again, let it stand some little time, and then strain it through a fine cloth, or, better still, a thick flannel jelly-bag. By this means quite cloudy stock can be rendered as bright as sherry, only bear in mind that every particle of fat should first be removed from the stock. We will now proceed to discuss the best method of making stock without the use of fresh meat at all. It should be borne in mind that in the present day the prices of provisions have so much increased, and also show such an upward tendency, that it is very desirable for every family throughout the country to do their utmost to save consumption of meat, thereby doing what little they can towards rendering meat cheaper to others who may not be possessed of so much wealth as themselves. Where the bones of joints that are left are thrown away and given to dogs, and fresh meat bought in quantities for making soup, it is evident that a large amount of nutritive PRINCIPLES STOCK. matter is absolutely wasted, which under other management would support the life of many starving persons. We Avill now take the very common case of a leg of mutton bone being left, and will describe how to tuni it into stock, though at the same time we must, of course, admit that the result would not be equal to the stock made from the fresh gravy-beef and veal. First, take the leg of mutton bone and chop it up into small pieces with a hatchet, and place these bones in a saucepan in cold water, with a good handful of fresh green parsley, a good large onion in which two or three cloves have been stuck, a carrot, or two small carrots, one turnip, if young — but do not put in any in very hot weather, or when they are old and sweet — one head of celery, or, if no celery is in season, a little celery-seed (about one-third of a salt-spoonful, or about enough to cover a threepenny piece), a small pinch of thyme, a little cayenne pepper, and a little salt; also, if they can be obtained, a couple of leeks.