They say that if you can make an excellent veal stock, then you're really a chef. A good veal stock is a rich, flavorful stock with a lot of body, but more subtle and delicate than a beef stock.

Two reasons: Unlike with beef stock, we don't roast the bones for making veal stock. We blanch them instead. And secondly, we don't add any sort of tomato product. So the resulting stock is going to be lighter in color than beef stock — closer to chicken stock or vegetable stock.

Speaking of bones, veal bones are highly prized for making stock as they are high in collagen, which adds body and produces a really superb stock. A few tips:

• The best bones are so-called "knuckle bones" in shoulder, hip and other joints; they contain the most collagen.
• Always start with cold water. This helps extract more collagen.
• Don't let the stock boil. It should stay at a gentle simmer.
• Don't stir the stock as it simmers! All you need to do is skim the scum off the top, and add more water if the level drops too low.

See Also

Chicken Stock Recipe

Fish Stock Recipe

How To Make White Stock