Beef Consomméclear and concentrated
A cold beef broth slowly clarified by a raft of egg whites, lean meat, and vegetables, then strained without disturbing the solids to achieve crystal clarity.
Consommé is not just strained broth: the classic technique involves creating a protein raft with egg whites, lean meat, and vegetables over cold liquid. Gradual heating coagulates this mixture, trapping particles; opening a chimney and maintaining minimal simmering allows flavor concentration without breaking the clarifying structure.
Ingredients
Broth
Clarification raft
Raft and finishing
Clarification raft
Seasoning
Preparation
Cool and degrease
Keep the broth very cold and remove all solidified fat from the surface.
15 minutesBuild the raft
Mix ground meat, lightly beaten egg whites, onion, 160 g carrot, and tomato; incorporate into the cold broth.
15 minutesHeat gradually
Bring to medium heat stirring only until coagulation begins; stop stirring when the raft rises.
20 minutesOpen the chimney and cook
Make an opening in the center and keep below boiling for 60 minutes, gently ladling broth over the raft.
60 minutesStrain without pressing
Pass the liquid through the opening and a fine cloth without pressing the solids; adjust salt and serve with blanched carrot cubes.
20 minutes
Substitutions
Chicken broth produces a consommé with a different identity; pasteurized egg whites can be used if equivalent and additive-free.
Storage
Cool quickly in a shallow container, cover and refrigerate; reheat to boiling before serving.
Approximate shelf life: Up to 3 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary by brand, substitution and actual yield.
