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In Czech Republic, every family has their own recipe for making the best broth (vývar). Some people prefer to add leeks or tomatoes, while others roast vegetables and meat for more flavor. There are countless recipes for broth, and chefs often debate over them. Here, we present to you secret recipes and tips from Ambiente chefs: a classic broth from Prague pub Lokál, and unique broths from Café Savoy and Čestr steakhouse.
Chef's Tips for best broth from Lokál
Before you get started, chef Petr Benda of Lokál offers some tips for making a perfect broth every time.
- Use half-and-half rib and knuckle bones, cut into pieces about 10 cm in size. Roast them on a baking tray before cooking. Just half an hour in an oven preheated to 250°C.
- Put the bones in cold water! Transfer them to the pot without the loosened fat and protein. Also make sure to collect the clotted protein, fat and dirt continuously as your broth bubbles.
- Dry roast the spices in a pan before cooking. It should start to crackle; only then will it open up and release more flavor. Petr Benda uses allspice, pepper and bay leaf.
- Do not peel the vegetables! Just clean it and cut off the roots if necessary. At Lokal, carrots, parsley, celery, onions and garlic will do.
- Chop down all vegetables by at least three diagonal cuts.
- Add vegetables as soon as the meat and water starts to boil. This will cool the contents of the pot and then just let the broth draw just below the boiling point. The soup should no longer bubble at this point.
- Ideally, cook the broth overnight, up to ten hours.
- And the ratios? For 3 litres of stock, put about 1 kg of bones and 400 g of vegetables.
Double broth from Café Savoy
A seemingly unassuming bowl of clear broth can actually be a powerful remedy for even the most severe hangover. After just one sip, it can warm your body, satisfy your hunger, and alleviate the symptoms of a hangover. Chef Martin Čáslavka from Savoy shares his recipe with us.
Double stock or broth is made by using a pre-prepared broth instead of water. This enhances the flavor of the soup without making it thicker. Some cooks refer to double stock as consommé. Triple stock is made using the same principle, resulting in an even more intense flavor.
Ingredients
- Chicken stock
- 2 chicken carcasses
- 3 carrots, cleaned and cut into larger pieces
- 1 smaller celery, cleaned and cut into larger pieces
- 1 larger parsnip, cleaned and cut into larger pieces
- 2-3 onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 5 allspice balls
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-5 black peppercorns
Instructions
- 1.Place the chicken bones on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven at 220°C for about 25 minutes.
- 2.Place the roasted bones in a pot and add the root vegetables and onion to the meat. Cover with water so that everything is submerged and bring to the boil.
- 3.Gradually collect the foam so that the broth does not become cloudy.
- 4.Remove from heat, add the spices and salt.
- 5.Cook over a low heat for about 6 hours. Strain before serving.
Double beef broth
Ingredients
- 1 beef shank
- 300 g ground beef
- 3 carrots, cleaned and cut into larger pieces
- 1 smaller celery, cleaned and cut into larger pieces
- 1 larger parsnip, cleaned and cut into larger pieces
- 2-3 onions, finely chopped
- A glug of oil
- Chicken broth
Instructions
- 1.Preheat the oven to 180-200 °C. Place the tail and minced meat in a roasting tin and brown for about 25 minutes.
- 2.Place the root vegetables and onion in a saucepan and fry briefly in a little oil.
- 3.Add the browned meat to the vegetables. Pour in the finished chicken stock so that everything is submerged.
- 4.Slowly simmer the broth over a low heat overnight.
- 5.Strain through a fine colander lined with a tea towel (this is the only way to get a clear clear broth).
- 6.Reduce the broth by half as needed and to taste. This will give it a distinctive flavor and dark color.
Two-day Čestr broth
At Čestr, they add extra dried vegetables to the broth to enhance its flavor. Buy beef bones, dry the vegetables, and cook according to this recipe from chef Pavel Brichzin.
ingredients
- For the broth
- 10 kg beef bones
- 20 l of water
- 2 chicken legs
- 4 bay leaves
- 10 allspice balls
- 15 peppercorns
- Salt, to taste
- For the dried vegetables
- 500 g carrots
- 500 g celery
- 250 g parsley
- 2 onions
- Half a bulb of garlic
Instructions
- 1.Chop all the vegetables and dry them in the oven over low heat.
- 2.Put the bones in a pot and cover with water up to the rim. Heat slowly over low heat. The water must not boil. As soon as small bubbles start to appear, turn the heat down to low. Do not collect the foam.
- 3.Add the chicken legs and spices. Season lightly with salt. Let the broth simmer on low heat overnight.
- 4.The next morning, collect the excess fat and save it for later. If a lot of water has boiled off during the night, top it up. Add the dried vegetables and leave to simmer another day and night.
- 5.In the morning, strain the finished stock through a cloth. Add salt to taste. You can also add the fat left over from the first day of cooking.
- 6.Serve with a poached egg, noodles or vegetables.
In the Czech Kitchen is a weekly column written in cooperation with the culinary experts from Ambiente. Established in 1995, the Prague-based collective of pubs, restaurants, and fine-dining outlets has transformed the Czech culinary landscape and led to widespread awareness of quality food service and production in Czechia. Follow their socials or book your table at www.ambi.cz.
