Stocks, broths and soups

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In the Red Seal Occupational Standard for Cook, stocks, broths and soups is major work activity D. Its 2 tasks carry these shares of the exam, according to the official exam breakdown:

Free stocks, broths and soups practice questions

Try these exam-style questions, then open each one to check your answer and read why it is right.

1. Question 1 · Task D-13

   What is the main difference in how white stock and brown stock are made?

   • A.White stock uses only chicken bones; brown stock uses only beef bones
   • B.White stock is boiled hard; brown stock is simmered gently
   • C.For brown stock, the bones and mirepoix are roasted until browned before simmering
   • D.White stock is seasoned with salt; brown stock is left unseasoned
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   Answer: C. For brown stock, the bones and mirepoix are roasted until browned before simmering

   Brown stock gets its colour and roasted flavour from bones and mirepoix browned in the oven, usually with a tomato product. White stock uses unbrowned bones. Both can be made from veal, beef or chicken bones, and both are simmered gently and left unsalted.

2. Question 2 · Task D-14

   What is the main difference between a cream soup and a purée soup?

   • A.A cream soup is usually thickened with roux and finished with dairy; a purée soup is thickened by its own puréed starchy ingredient
   • B.A cream soup is thickened only by its puréed vegetables; a purée soup is always thickened with a flour roux
   • C.A purée soup is strained until it is completely clear; a cream soup is left chunky and unstrained
   • D.A cream soup is always made with milk; a purée soup must never contain any milk or cream
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   Answer: A. A cream soup is usually thickened with roux and finished with dairy; a purée soup is thickened by its own puréed starchy ingredient

   Cream soups get most of their thickness from a roux-based velouté or béchamel and are finished with cream or milk. Purée soups, such as split pea or potato and leek, are thickened by puréeing their own starchy ingredients, and some are finished with a little cream. Swapping the two thickening methods is the most common mix-up.

3. Question 3 · Task D-13

   A cook covers veal bones with cold water, not hot water, to start a white stock. Why?

   • A.Proteins rise slowly as scum to skim, so the stock stays clear
   • B.Cold water keeps the bones from releasing gelatin into the stock
   • C.Cold water brings the stock up to a simmer faster than hot water
   • D.Cold water keeps the stock out of the danger zone while it cooks
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   Answer: A. Proteins rise slowly as scum to skim, so the stock stays clear

   Starting cold lets proteins dissolve and then set slowly, rising to the top as scum that is skimmed away, which gives a clearer stock. When bones go into hot water, proteins set quickly as fine particles that stay in the liquid and cloud the stock. Starting cold does not block gelatin, and it takes longer to heat, not less time.

4. Question 4 · Task D-14

   A cook has mixed cold, degreased beef stock with lean ground beef, egg whites, mirepoix and tomato to make a consommé. What should happen as the pot heats?

   • A.Bring it to a rapid boil so the raft sets quickly, then turn it down
   • B.Stir occasionally until the raft starts to form, then stop stirring and keep it at a bare simmer
   • C.Stir constantly the whole time so the egg whites stay mixed through the stock
   • D.Skim off the raft as soon as it forms so the stock stays clear
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   Answer: B. Stir occasionally until the raft starts to form, then stop stirring and keep it at a bare simmer

   Early stirring keeps the clearmeat from sticking and scorching on the bottom. Once the raft forms, it is left alone at a bare simmer so it keeps trapping particles. A rapid boil or constant stirring breaks up the raft and leaves the consommé cloudy, and lifting off the raft removes the clarifier.

5. Question 5 · Task D-13

   A busy cook turns up the heat so a chicken stock boils hard for an hour. What will this most likely do to the stock?

   • A.Make it clearer, because the bubbles push impurities out
   • B.Speed up extraction so the stock is ready sooner with no loss of quality
   • C.Have no effect, as long as it is strained well
   • D.Make it cloudy and greasy, because fat and impurities are churned into the liquid
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   Answer: D. Make it cloudy and greasy, because fat and impurities are churned into the liquid

   A hard boil breaks fat and set proteins into tiny particles and mixes them through the stock, which makes it cloudy and greasy. Straining cannot remove particles that fine, so saving time this way costs quality. Stocks such as this are kept at a gentle simmer.