Consomme Soup | What It is and How to Make It
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Consomme soup, usually written consommé, is a clear, concentrated soup made from a flavorful stock or broth. Its defining step is clarification: removing the tiny particles that make the liquid look cloudy.
Straining stock and removing the fat improve its appearance, but those steps alone don’t guarantee a clear consommé. This guide explains the difference and the traditional egg-white clarification process.
Consommé Soup at a Glance
Type: Clarified soup or broth
Base: Well-flavored stock
Key technique: Gentle clarification
Traditional clarifier: Egg whites, often with lean meat and aromatics
Important distinction: Removing fat isn’t the same as removing suspended particles
Consommé, Stock and Broth
Stock and broth can be strained and still look cloudy. A consommé has an additional clarification stage. That stage improves clarity; it doesn’t make a weak-tasting stock rich, so choose a base with a flavor you enjoy.
What the Egg-White Raft Does
As egg whites warm, their proteins set and help gather fine particles from the stock. The material rises into a layer often called a raft. Gentle heat helps that layer remain intact while clearer liquid is drawn off.
A different technique uses freezing and a gelatin network to filter liquid. It is described in the Journal of Food Science Education. That is a separate method from the traditional egg-white approach.
How to Make Consommé: The Basic Process
- Start with stock: Use a well-flavored base and remove excess surface fat.
- Prepare the clarification mixture: Traditional recipes combine egg whites with finely prepared ingredients such as lean meat and aromatics.
- Heat gradually: Begin with cold stock and warm gently, stirring at first to prevent sticking.
- Protect the raft: Once it forms, stop stirring and avoid a rolling boil.
- Draw off the clear liquid: Ladle carefully through a small opening and strain through clean, damp muslin without forcing the solids.
Quantities and cooking time depend on the stock and clarification mixture. For a complete worked example, Great British Chefs explains chicken-stock clarification.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan: Keep the heat gentle and steady.
- Heatproof bowl: Catch the clarified liquid.
- Chef’s knife: Prepare aromatics if your chosen method needs them.
- Cutting board: For preparing ingredients.
- Measuring cups and spoons: Measure the stock and clarification ingredients.
You’ll also need a fine-mesh sieve, clean muslin or cheesecloth, whisk and ladle.
Tips for Clear Soup
- Begin with good stock: Clarification won’t correct a flavor you don’t like.
- Avoid vigorous boiling: It can break up the raft and disturb trapped particles.
- Don’t press the solids: Let the liquid pass through the cloth without squeezing.
- Keep equipment clean: Clean cloth and bowls help avoid adding grease or sediment back to the liquid.
Serving Consommé
Serve in small warm bowls on its own or with a restrained garnish. Ordinary stock is also a good base for a soup such as cilantro shrimp wonton soup; it doesn’t need consommé-level clarity for that use.
How to Store Consommé
- Refrigerate: Cool promptly in shallow covered containers; eat within 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality, leaving room for expansion.
- Reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator and heat thoroughly. Avoid unnecessary vigorous stirring if clarity is important to your presentation.
Consommé FAQs
No. Fat removal and clarification solve different problems. Fine suspended particles may remain after the fat has been skimmed off.
No. Different meat, poultry and vegetable bases can be clarified. The base determines the flavor.
A vigorous boil, stirring after the raft forms or pressing the strained solids can put particles back into the liquid.
You can use a stock with a flavor you like, but check the ingredients and salt level. Clarification doesn’t improve a weak or unpleasant flavor.
A good consommé depends on both flavor and clarity. Start with a stock you enjoy, then give the clarification stage the gentle heat and careful handling it needs.
