Chicken Stock
Chicken stocks are usually made with uncooked chicken carcasses, chicken legs or feet and a mirepoix (a chopped mix of onions, carrots, leeks and celery). However, you can also use the carcass from a previously roasted chicken (you can freeze the bones for later use) to make stock after removing any remaining meat. The bones are full of collagen and result in a nutritious gelatinous finish. This silky stock is the foundation for many soups, for cooking pasta and risotto, for poaching and for myriad sauces. An excellent light chicken stock can be made in two hours.
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds chicken parts, (such as legs or backs or chicken bones), or the carcass of a roasted chicken
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 large onions, peeled and diced
- 4 leeks, carefully cleaned, root end trimmed and quartered lengthways
- 4 turns fresh ground pepper
- Bouquet garni, (1 bay leaf, 6–8 stems fresh thyme and stems of 1 bunch of parsley, all loosely tied together using kitchen twine)
- 3 quarts cold water
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into a large stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 1½ hours. During that time, use a large spoon to carefully remove the scum (grey foam) that sometimes comes to the surface of the stock. It is very important to do this regularly during the first 45 minutes of cooking to keep a good clean flavor in your stock.
- After 1½ hours, remove from the heat, let cool and strain the stock. When you are straining the stock, do so carefully, avoiding pressing down and squashing the meat and vegetables in the strainer. Your patience in letting the stock filter naturally through the strainer will be well rewarded with a good, clear, fresh-tasting stock.
- The stock will keep in the fridge for 2–3 days. This stock freezes well. Use different size containers. If you are using glass jars to freeze your stock, make sure you leave at least 1½ inches of space between the top of the stock and the lid, as the stock expands as it freezes. If you overfill the jar, it will crack in the freezer. Your stock can be kept frozen for 3 months.
