Where to Buy Veal Stock?

Tuesday was my first attempt at making Osso Buco. I used veal shanks and was generally pleased with the results, especially the marrow from the bones - that was just absolutely wonderful on bread. However, the recipe called for using chicken stock instead of veal stock, and I have to say that the sauce wasn't quite as rich and hearty as I had anticipated, even after I reduced it.

Has anyone used veal stock vs. chicken to make osso buco, and if so did it make a significant impact on the flavor of the sauce? Does anyone know where to go to purchase veal stock? I don't have the freezer space to store stock, so am disinclined to make it myself.

Also, having just viewed the wonderful pictorial on Peoria Packing, I was just curious how much their veal shanks run for? Due to time and geographic constraints I was forced to go to Fox and Obel, and at $15.99 a pound, I thought their price was pretty usurious. Thanks much.
John

Fox & Obel sells frozen veal stock that they make in house. (As well as chicken, turkey and vegetable.) It's in the freezer case near the checkout. I always buy veal shanks there, as I can't always be sure Whole Foods or anywhere else is going to have them. Peoria is a good idea, and you can probably get them to cut them to your exact specifications as well. (Which has been a problem at F&O, where they're already cut to about 3 inches thick--too thick for osso bucco and a tad too thin if they cut them once more down the middle.) Mmmm... Osso bucco this weekend sounds like a plan.

Whole Foods used to carry the veal demi-glace by Jersey City's own D'Artagnan (though now in Newark) , which is an excellent product to have on hand. Alas, Whole Foods (at least the one on Huron) has not carried it for some time now.

Has anyone seen this or other D'Artagnan products for sale here lately? Of course, one can order from their website but it's not as much fun as shopping in the real world.

Antonius

D'Artagnan
280 Wilson Avenue | Newark, NJ 07105
Phone: (800) 327-8246 ext. 0 | Fax: (973) 465-1870
Email: <mailto:Info@dartagnan.com>Info@dartagnan.com

I've seen D'Artagnan products at Marcey St. Market inside Sam's, though I can't swear that was one of them.

I believe The Spice House (Wells Street location) carries D'Artagnan demi-glace.

Christopher Gordon wrote:I believe The Spice House (Wells Street location) carries D'Artagnan demi-glace.

The demi the spice house carries is a even-more-reduced-than-normal demi from the company "More than Gourmet".

-ed

You can buy frozen, home made veal stock at Gepperth's Meat Matrket. Call ahead to make sure they have it on hand that day.

Gepperth's
1964 Halsted St
Chicago, IL
773-549-3883

If you're in the Evanston/Skokie area, Jerry and John's butcher shop carries Veal demi-glace. Made in-house, $10 a pound. I haven't tried it, but I have used their chicken stock ($3.75 a quart, frozen) and it's quite nice.

They're on Dempster, couple of blocks west of McKormick, near Pita Inn.

Gepperth's has veal stock but it's not a rich, brown stock. Fox & Obel has an excellent, full flavored stock. I make Osso Buco and use Veal Demiglace. The sauce is wonderful. All you need now are some marrow spoons to round out the perfect meal.

Thanks to all for your replies and information. To think I was 10 feet from veal stock at F&O! Hadn't thought to look in the freezer section or ask. Also, I am close to Evanston so will check that out too.

The Treasure Islands (or at least the one at Clark and Elm) also carry frozen veal stock. I don't remember the maker off the top of my head.

Jacki

I agree with Andy, the veal stock from F&O has an incredible richness and depth. It is the base for my rich southern grits recipe too.

Bumping this up in case anyone's still wondering, and becazuse I have a question. I got D'Artagnan demi glace from Foodstuffs in Glencoe the other day.

It comes frozen. Anyone know how long it will keep thawed in the refrigerator?

I'd say 3-4 days in the fridge, indefinitely in the freezer.

Here's another vote for F&O's veal stock. It's some wonderfully potent stuff. It's usually hanging out in the waist-high freezer island right by the checkout counters.

One exceedingly useful idea I got from a long-forgotten source is to freeze the demi-glace in ice cube trays to be able to use smaller portions. I generally buy the F&O, defrost and heat back up, and then freeze into cubes.

Thanks for the help!

I'm planning to use the demi for a red wine-mushroom sauce for my beef tenderloin roast. I guess I'll just use the whole container and then freeze any sauce that's left. (Is that OK if I heat it almost to boiling?)

I know this is dumb. The one thing I almost never cook is red meat.