Cookaholics Bulletin Board

FWIW, I've found my stock is clearer with the PC and like Lisa find it consistently gels. I'm sure the former is because I boil the stock too vigourously when made in the traditional way.

Emilie,

If it really bothers you, you can let the stock sit in a fridge overnight. The solids settle to the bottom and you can decant the clear broth off the top (if it's jelled, you just scoop out it layer by layer until you hit the cloudy part). You can also strain warm stock through a fine mesh strainer lined with couple of layers of cheesecloth, or a strainer lined with damp paper towel or a dampened coffee filter to increase clarity. The paper is much slower and fussier than cheesecloth, as it needs to be changed periodically as it will clog up quickly. When i do it this way I strain through a colander first to take out the large stuff, and do a 2nd run through the lined fine mesh strainer. I know Tim puts a clean pot into the sink, holds the solids with a baking rack across the top of the stock pot, and pours straight through the fine mesh strainer into the clean pot below, but I am not coordinated enough to manage that, so for me it becomes a 3 pot enterprise.

I don't usually bother though, as to me it's mostly cosmetic and I'm rarely using it for anything that requires clarity.

Totally in the Carey camp on this; for me clarity is cosmetic - I cannot taste difference. 1% of the time I do clear, and only for special occasions, otherwise, it is is fuel - delicious fuel, but fuel.

I agree Wino, it doesn't bother me either way (and I strain through cheesecloth so I get most of the gunk anyway) but PC is clearer for me.
Carey, I tried coffee filters once and nearly lost my ever loving mind. I long for a chinois....but really don't need it nor do I have a place to store it!

Jean,

I only did coffee filters once...it was so painful I quit trying. Cheesecloth is much easier (by a mile).