Troubleshooting Chart

Use this chart to troubleshoot your cooking stocks. 

Problem: Cloudy Reason: Impurities in the stock. Stock boils too much during cooking. Solution: Start stock in cold water. Strain through layers of cheesecloth, or pass through a coffee filter. Skim stock often to remove impurities.

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Problem: Lack of flavorReason: Not cooked long enough. Inadequate seasoning. An improper ratio of bones to water.Solution: Increase cooking time. Add more flavoring ingredients. Add more bones. Reduce liquid to concentrate flavors

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Problem: Lack of color (for brown stocks)
Reason: Improperly caramelized bones and Mirepoix. Roasting pan was not deglazed. Not cooked long enough. Wrong bones used. Not enough tomato paste.
Solution: Caramelize bones and Mirepoix. Degrease and deglaze the pan to dissolve all the caramelized flavors. Cook longer.

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Problem: Lack of body, thickness
Reason: Wrong bones used. Insufficient reduction. An improper ratio of bones to water. 
Solution: Use bones with a higher content of connective tissue. Cook longer. Add more bones.

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Problem: Too salty.
Reason: Commercial base used. Salt added during cooking.
Solution: Start a new stock.  You can’t really save that stock. If you reduce it, you will concentrate the salt. If you dissolve it with another stock, you might need a lot of it.