flavored and/or thickened at the last minute with purees, emulsions, or a starch-based mixture In the more versatile system developed by French cooks, one begins by making a water extract of meat and bones ahead of time, and then uses that stock to cook the final dish, or concentrates it to make intensely flavored, full-bodied sauces These stocks and concentrates used to be the heart of restaurant cooking They’re less important now, but still represent the state of the art in meat sauces Collagen and gelatin Collagen molecules ( l e f t ) contribute mechanical strength to connective tissue and bone in animal muscles They are made up of three individual protein chains wound closely together into a helix to make a rope-like fiber When heated in water, the individual protein chains come apart (ri ght ) and dissolve into the water The unwound, separate chains are what we call gelatin The Choice of Ingredients The aim in making meat stock is to produce a fullflavored liquid with enough gelatin that it will also become full-bodied when reduced Meat is an expensive ingredient, an excellent source of flavor, and a modest source of gelatin Bones and skins are less expensive, poor sources of flavor, but excellent sources of gelatin So the most flavorful and expensive stocks are made with meat, the fullest bodied and cheapest with bones and pork skin, and everyday stocks with some of each Beef and chicken stocks taste distinctly of their respective meats, while veal bones and meat are valued for their more neutral character, as well as their higher yield of soluble gelatin Cartilaginous veal knuckles and feet give ... stocks are made with meat, the fullest bodied and cheapest with bones and pork skin, and everyday stocks with some of each Beef and chicken stocks taste distinctly of their respective meats, while veal bones and meat... is an expensive ingredient, an excellent source of flavor, and a modest source of gelatin Bones and skins are less expensive, poor sources of flavor, but excellent sources of gelatin So the most flavorful and expensive stocks are made with meat, the fullest bodied... When heated in water, the individual protein chains come apart (ri ght ) and dissolve into the water The unwound, separate chains are what we call gelatin The Choice of Ingredients The aim in making meat stock is to produce a fullflavored liquid with enough gelatin that it will