Using 8 lbs bones, 6 qts water, and 1 lb mirepoix yields how much chicken stock?

Using 8 lbs bones, 6 qts water, and 1 lb mirepoix yields how much chicken stock?

• A. Two quarts
• B. One gallon
• C. Eight quarts
• D. Three gallons

Answer: (B)

Yield in stockmaking comes from how much liquid you start with and how much you lose to evaporation and absorption during simmering. Start with six quarts of water along with the bones and mirepoix; the solids impart flavor and gelatin, but they don’t add liquid. As the stock gently simmers, you’ll lose some volume to evaporation and some liquid is absorbed by the solids, so the final liquid is smaller than the starting amount. With these proportions, you’d typically end up around four quarts of stock, which is one gallon. (The bones and mirepoix enrich the stock without increasing its volume.)

Yield in stockmaking comes from how much liquid you start with and how much you lose to evaporation and absorption during simmering. Start with six quarts of water along with the bones and mirepoix; the solids impart flavor and gelatin, but they don’t add liquid. As the stock gently simmers, you’ll lose some volume to evaporation and some liquid is absorbed by the solids, so the final liquid is smaller than the starting amount. With these proportions, you’d typically end up around four quarts of stock, which is one gallon. (The bones and mirepoix enrich the stock without increasing its volume.)