By John Kass

December 15, 2024

Editor’s note:

The last thing I thought about doing in December was standing at the stove top, making beef stock. I was looking forward to some other easy soup, and a light salad to go with the Christmas Day standing rib roast.  But my nephew Niko loves #KassOnionSoup, and you can’t make that soup without great stock. So, I’m going back in, with the roasting of the bones, the mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery), all of it.

Why?

Because my nephew Niko loves it that’s why! “He keeps talking about that soup,” said my brother Nicholas. “Niko loves it.”

And so do many of you. Because that soup is axios, worthy. There is nothing like slow reduction of onion and homemade stock.  Don’t talk to me about boxed stock. That’s nonessential talk for prattling idiots, like those Democrats last summer who wanted to put Joe Biden on Mt. Rushmore after Obama put the knife in George Clooney’s hand, and later Clooney wondering why Obama abandoned him after the deed was done. Why are you surprised George Clooney? Everybody from Chicago knows Barack Obama is a one-way street.

Forget politics for a few hours. Take stock, make stock.

You want something great, it takes a little effort. And if you want to offer this special soup for your Christmas Dinner, get moving in the kitchen now with me.

Get those stock pots ready.

Here’s an encore of “Taking Stock, Making Stock”

JK

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Here’s the amazing thing about making beef stock for proper Kass’  Onion Soup TM for Christmas Dinner:

You don’t have to do it.

No one really expects it of you.

No one will ask you to spend 15 or more hours slow-simmering beef bones and vegetables to make proper stock.

They’ll tell you to use boxed stock, beef and chicken. They’ll say the soup will taste just as good. And they’ll say, “Why not? It’s easier!!!”

But it won’t taste “just as good.” It is not “just as good.” Something, perhaps a voice deep within you whispers no. That “it won’t taste just as good” and you know it.”

But there is a proper way to make a stock. This is a three-part column about  making and taking stock. Beef, then chicken and only if I’m satisfied, the onion Caramelization. Now, the boef. And as we make stock, we can take stock of the important things.

How? Why?

It’s not a quick sauté or flash fry. It takes time. Like fly fishing carefully, approaching the water slowly, the universe reducing itself to the tension on the line and that snick,snick,snicks in wordless wonder as the wet fly bounces along the bottom. And in that time, the universe reduces to the elemental, like waiting for a pot to almost boil, concentrating on bubble frequency, the bones, the meat, the veggies, the bubbles rising slowly blip……..blip….blip………  ..blipity….You’ll have time to make stock and take stock.

I think of regrets, like that girl I could have befriended in school, but didn’t. Her name was Martha and a pig bully named Barney made her life miserable in the 3d Grade. I should have bloodied his nose, but didn’t. I was the odd kid at school, new, and I wanted to make friends. Poor Martha was a target. We all allowed it rather than be targeted ourselves. I hate my own guts for this to this day.

Regrets.

I regret the loss of America with Joe Biden allowing the total collapse of the border. And the left wing Democrats who washed themselves in virtue signaling, the wealthy elite whites who looked down  their noses at the rest of us, with their “Hate Has No Home Here” signs. They wanted Chicago to become a sanctuary city. But now as Biden’s illegal migrants freeze on the December streets, Chicagoans move away from the migrants and the crime.

You think of your regrets while taking stock. Right now, I’m also thinking of an irritating little yap dog far away, another bully like Barney, a gossip tweeting and trying to distract me, demanding attention like other beasts in the leftist fever swamp that was once called Twitter. But I won’t be distracted by an obnoxious little dog that demands attention, then licks itself in public just because it can.

I don’t abide bad manners in a man, bartender or snotty little barking dog. I’m particular that way.

Ok enough talk of jerks. Let’s get down to it. We’ve got days and days before Christmas. Let’s do this right. So we have time to enjoy our guests. Today the beef stock, next time the chicken stock, then we reduce the onions. Perfect.

Maybe order the standing rib roasts, get some giant frozen shrimp, maybe think of sides like cauliflower potato gratin, and a good dry manly red.

If you know friends who’ve had my Kass’ Onion Soup (TM) for Christmas Dinner, just ask them if it’s any good.

Or make your own, and I’m here to help you. We’ll make it together in batches, steps easy to handle.

I’ve used boxed stock as an experiment. But I have sons and we’re trying to teach reverence for traditions.

And the other day, our sons were the ones insisting on helping make the stock, because they want it done the right way.

So, they’re the reason I’m writing this for you. Just thought you should know.

But others—including some famed TV chefs–who think boxed stock is just as good have reality issues. They really don’t understand the world around them.

In this, they’re like cavemen desperate for an in-depth discussion about Mozart or a talk on the disinformation of the disinformation state.

They sit open-mouthed and scratch. Sadly, they’ve been raised in a world without standards. For example, I don’t think most Americans even know how to properly make a bed, with a top sheet below the blanket. There is actually an ongoing debate about whether or not we “need” a top sheet.

Really?

You might as well sleep on uncured animal skins.

But there is a proper way to make a stock. And as we make stock, we can take stock.

The thing you don’t want to do is devote a solid weekend to it. You’d be tired. And it’s best to be rested to prepare Christmas Day dinner.

And there is no Christmas Day dinner without the Kass Onion Soup ™. But you can’t make soup without the stock.

So, lets’ do it.

Bones, vegetables, a roasting pan and tomato paste. As you see by the photo, there are various bones and meats. Marrow bones, knuckle bones for collagen, beef shanks, I think there are some oxtails

too.

I painted the bones with two cans of tomato paste.

Then I put them in the oven to bake at 400 degrees for an hour, with a bit of water, like, say a quarter cup for each roasting pan so the bottom won’t burn.

The vegetables: leeks, carrots, onions, celery and whole head of garlic.

6 sprigs of thyme in each pot and two or three bay leaves.

Stir every half hour.

Once the bones have browned, remove and deglaze the roasting pan with water, vermouth or wine. I put the roasting pan on the stove top, and turned on the heat, scraping at the fond (brown bits) with a flat spoon. Put them in a pot with the vegetables. Cover with COLD WATER within two inches from the top of the pot. Not hot water. COLD WATER.

Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat immediately for a really slow simmer. Simmer covered COVERED, for at least 12 hours. I went even longer, hours and hours longer, into the demiglace zone. Yes the undiscovered country. Skim the fat that rises to the top every hour with a ladle.

Turn off the heat. Remove all bones and vegetables. Throw away and strain twice with a fine mesh sieve. Then simmer uncovered until reduced to half. That takes more time. You’ll have time to think about things you should have done, fish you didn’t land. You’ll have time to think of how much the political class hates you. The slow simmer reveals your secret heart.

Put the stockpots in a sink. Pack ice all around, and stir until cool. Cooling won’t take long, if you add cold water to the ice. Put in a container. DO NOT DO NOT ADD ICE TO STOCK. You can put the stock into flat storage containers. DO NOT ADD SALT OR PEPPER. NEVER SALT THE STOCK.  That’s for later when we use the stock to make the soup.

Chill it as quickly as possible. Leave it warm for at the most, an hour. Chill it Chill it Chill it. Do no put warm soup in your fridge or freezer to chill. It’s cold enough now that you can put the containers in the garage, then put them cold in the freezer.

We ended up with about 5 gallons of beef stock. We’re having about 20 guests for dinner so that’ll be plenty for roast beef gravy, and soup. I’m one of those cooks who worry I haven’t made enough. We’ll do chicken stock next week, then show you how to properly Caramelize the onions.

First things first. One step at a time. Do it right. I’m here to help.

It’s only Kass French Onion Soup (TM) but I think it’s OK. I think it’s good.

I hope you and your family will like it. It takes time, like life if you’re lucky. And there are many secrets it will teach you along the way.

(copyright 2024 John Kass)

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About the author: John Kass spent decades as a political writer and news columnist in Chicago working at a major metropolitan newspaper. He is co-host of The Chicago Way podcast. And he just loves his “No Chumbolone” hat, because johnkassnews.com is a “No Chumbolone” Zone where you can always get a cup of common sense.

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