To repeat, the ingredients should be fresh and of the highest quality. Avoid using your stockpot for a scrap dumping ground.

Depending on what kind of stock you will be making you will be using bones from meat, fish or poultry, scraps or trimmings , fresh vegetables, herbs, aromatic seasonings and water or stock.

BONES
The best bones to use come from young animals because they contain more gelatin and the marrow contains more flavoring agents. A stock made with these bones will be thicker due to higher natural collagen content and have a more distinctive character due to increased flavor. The bones are best cut into 4-5 inch lengths and split lengthwise to allow more marrow surface area to be exposed. Bones that are scraped bare will produce a poor, watery stock.

For Beef or Veal Stock use neck, front shank, shin, femur or knuckle bones, (the knuckle is very high in natural gelatin content) and lean trimmings. Chicken carcasses and veal bones will produce an excellent white stock.

For Fish Stock (fumet) use bones that come from flat white fleshed fish like sole, turbot, flounder, halibut, brill, sea perch, haddock or whiting. These will produce a very flavorful stock with no acrid taste. You can also use the skin, scales removed. The head contributes a lot of flavor so make sure it is included.

For Chicken Stock use bones from older larger stewing chicken (4 pounds) as it will give more flavor, richness and character. Wings, feet and carcasses are also very good. Throw in a veal knuckle or two to improve flavor and body when making a white chicken stock.

For Game Stock use the same bone cuts you would use for a beef or veal stock.

For Special Stocks such as lamb or mutton, cured pork, rabbit, etc, are prepared with the same bones you would use for a beef stock but the special stock prepared with them are generally restricted and used for a sauce with that type of meat.

VEGETABLES
Vegetables are the other product which contributes flavor to your stocks. When used in stocks they are referred to as the "mirepoix" (cubes).

Depending on what kind of stock you will be making you will be using a combination of onions, carrots, celery, leeks, tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic.

HERBS
When preparing stocks herbs are used as a "bouquet garni or sachet". This is a mixture of herbs and or spices tied in a small cloth, placed in the stock and then later removed when the flavoring is correct.

Depending on what kind of stock you will be making you will be using fresh thyme, fresh parsley and bay leaf.

AROMATICS
Most of today's aromatics derive from plants, usually located in tropical or semi tropical countries. Many aromatics are used and classed as herbs. Subtlety is not a character of an aromatic so they must be used with a light touch and a good sense of balance so they do not unbalance a stocks main and natural flavor.

The most commonly used in stocks are whole peppercorns (usually black), and whole cloves. They are used in a "bouquet garni or sachet"

WATER or STOCK
Not much to choose from here. Avoid highly chlorinated water if possible. If beginning your stock with another stock make sure it is compatible with your type of ingredients and recipe.

A Remouillage: is the second cooking of a basic stock. It is most often used when you prepare a meat extract or glaze, like "glaze de viande" -meat glace. So after you have made you stock, you use it in place of water to make another stock. The reduction of this Remouillage or second stock produces the finest "glaze de viande".