HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK

To make a homemade chicken stock, you don’t need more than a large stock pot, some chicken bones or parts, and a few fresh vegetables. I usually make a large pot of chicken stock when I get a good deal on chicken parts at the market, Neck bones, backs or gizzards, or if I have chicken carcass left over from a meal.

There are a lot of different ways of making chicken stock, but I like to roast my chicken parts in the oven along with the vegetables first before I put them in the stock pot.  This will start to develop the flavor, which will enhance the taste of your stock.  Always remember to salt and pepper every ingredient, every step of the way when you are cooking.  This will also serve to develop the flavor of the ingredients you are using.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, place your chicken parts and vegetables on a large baking sheet, drizzle everything with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss well to coat evenly and proceed to roast for about thirty minutes, until your vegetables start to turn brown and caramelize. This extra step will enrich your final product ten times over, and is more than worth the extra effort.

Take the chicken and the vegetables out of the oven, and put everything into a large stock pot, don’t forget to add your fresh herbs.  Cover with two gallons of cold water, and bring to a boil.  As you stock boils, you will see foam forming at the top of the stock, you should skim it off about every twenty minutes.  Once the stock starts to boil, lower the pot to a simmer and let it cook for about eight hours.  Remember do not add any salt to the stock until it is finished cooking.  Seasoning of soups and stocks are always done at the end of the cooking process. 

I generally find this is best to be done on a weekend, this way I can get other things done either in the kitchen or somewhere else in the house.  I have to warn you to be prepared for the incredible smells that waft out of your kitchen and fill your home.

After your stock is finished you are going to have to strain it.  I usually let it cool on top of the stove for about an hour after it is finished cooking, getting splashed with hot stock while straining it not pleasant.  I usually like to use a large pasta pot with the insert that is a strainer, if you do not have one of these a large pasta pots, a large pot with a strainer placed in the inside will do.  I find when straining stock it is always best to place the pot and the strainer the stock is going into kitchen sink.  This way anything that spills or falls, will end up in your kitchen sink.

Pour the stock into the strainer and push all the liquid through with the back of a wooden spoon, discard the rest of the solids.  I find that if I put the stock into ice cube trays and let them freeze, I can put them into a plastic zip lock bag when they are solid and then I will have fresh stock whenever I need it.  You can add fresh chicken stock to any dish you are making and it will enhance the flavor.

Out of a fresh made chicken stock you can create a number of different soups in less time than it would take you to open a can of soup.  Try taking some cut up veggies, whatever you have on hand, a small shaped pasta (which should be in your basic pantry), and poof you have a pretty good vegetable soup.  This works well if you have some vegetables in the refrigerator that are starting to go and you want to use them.  The variations are endless, and you can use whatever you have on hand.  Incorporating different flavor combinations is easy once you get the basic stock down. Try some ginger and soy sauce for an Oriental flavor, add some cumin and coriander for a Mexican flair, as I said before the possibilities are endless.   I posted a simple stock recipe below, and this should get you started.  Once you start to make your own stock you will never go back to buying canned soup every again. 

So please stop buying cans of soup, the taste is palatable, their full of sodium and most of all they are expensive.  Yes I will agree that they are convenient, but once you start making your own stocks and creating your own healthy soups, I can guarantee you will never want to buy another can of soup again.

Chicken Stock

Ingredients

4 pounds chicken carcasses, including necks and backs
1 large onion, quartered
4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/2
4 ribs celery, cut in 1/2
1 leek, white part only, cut in 1/2 lengthwise
10 sprigs fresh thyme
10 sprigs fresh parsley with stems
2 bay leaves
8 to 10 peppercorns
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 gallons cold water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place chicken, and vegetables, on a baking sheet and drizzle with Olive Oil d season with salt and pepper, and mix to combine well. Place baking sheet in oven and roast until vegetables start to turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and place chicken, vegetables, water and herbs and spices in 12-quart stockpot.  Cook on high heat until you begin to see bubbles break through the surface of the liquid. Turn heat down to medium low so that stock maintains low, gentle simmer. Skim the scum from the stock with a spoon or fine mesh strainer every 10 to 15 minutes for the first hour of cooking and twice each hour for the next 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep bones and vegetables submerged. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.

Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer into another large stockpot or heatproof container discarding the solids. Cool immediately in large cooler of ice or a sink full of ice water to below 40 degrees. Place in refrigerator overnight. Remove solidified fat from surface of liquid and store place in ice cube trays until frozen. When cubes are frozen place in a zip lock bag and use as needed.  Stock will stay in the freezer for up to 3 months. Prior to use, bring to boil for 2 minutes. Use as a base for soups and sauces.

As always scrumptiously,

Francine