Beef Barley stock- was Re: [Sca-cooks] Aha! was Chicken broth

[Liadan]

Phlip said:

"SALT WARNING: I usually don't mention adding salt, because every time
you
tell an American cook to add salt, they put 10 times as much in as it
needs.
However, if you feel it's done, and it just needs a dab more strength, a
teensy tiny wee-dab pinch of salt will brighten the flavors for you
quite a
bit, but I MEAN just a teensy bit, like a pinch, not the shovels full
most
Americans will add. A tiny bit of sugar will do the same thing."

I don't season stock until I'm actually making the dish. Then I add any
wine, salt, etc. during the cooking of the dish. This way, I know the
stock in my freezer is "generic." Thanks for the garlic tip, too. I'll
leave it out in the future.

Sometimes I cook my stock down until it's syrupy. Then I freeze it in
ice-cube trays and store in a freezer bag.  It's much better than a
bouillon cube when a dish tastes insipid. But, if you put any salt in
the pot in the beginning, you may end up with something too salty in the
end.

Liadan
The voice of experience about adding salt to the stockpot.