Soup stock is the backbone of many dishes, from hearty stews and soups to savory sauces. Making it is straightforward: simmer bones, vegetables, and aromatics in water until you’ve extracted all the flavor. As simple as it sounds, this process can take ages and once you’ve patiently waited for your ingredients to work their magic, the final step of straining can seem like another tedious task. But instead of using a regular strainer and bowl, which can be quite messy, here’s where a French press comes in.
A French press is an ingenious device primarily made for brewing coffee, but its mechanism can be applied to various other tasks. In fact, we can think of over a dozen uses for your French press that aren’t brewing a cup of joe, one of them being straining soup stock. The design of this device is the reason it’s versatile enough to sieve a stock.
The carafe basically serves as a collecting vessel to hold the liquid, and the mesh filter is, well, the strainer. Unlike a regular strainer-and-bowl setup where you rely on gravity to sieve out solids by pouring liquid downward through the sieve, the French press uses pressure exerted by the plunger; as you push the filter down, clear liquid is displaced upward and the solids remain at the bottom. And that’s exactly how it will work to strain your soup stock. Once done, you can simply pour out your clear stock through the spout for an easy transfer.
Make soup stock from scratch using a French press
Apart from just straining soup stock, did you know you can use the French press to make a simple broth from scratch? Do this when you only need a little stock to add to your dish. Instead of spending hours slowly simmering stock, the French press method takes just a few minutes. Plus it’s a convenient all-in-one solution — no need for extra pots or strainers.
Start by gathering all your stock ingredients — cooked food scraps and chopped aromatics — and place them directly into the carafe of the French press. Heat water, then carefully pour it over the ingredients in the device. Make sure the water covers all the ingredients, allowing them to steep and release their flavors. Place the lid on the French press but don’t press down the plunger just yet. Let the ingredients steep in the hot water for five to seven minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and develop.
Once the stock has reached its desired flavor, it’s time to strain. Slowly press down on the plunger, allowing the mesh filter to separate the liquid from the solids. Finally, add salt for a perfectly seasoned broth. The result? A flavorful homemade stock in minutes, ready to elevate your soups, stews, and sauces.
