Homemade Chicken Stock

I'm into real, homemade food, food that heals and comforts. I've chosen my basic chicken stock recipe as my first posting because it's a base for so many of the dishes I like to cook. I used to buy canned broth (Swanson's is pretty good, though other brands, especially the ones in cartons, can taste like salty water) but I've taken to making my own. The flavor is so much better, it's less expensive, and you can really control the salt content, which is very high even in low sodium canned versions. It's an easy recipe, but there are a few things to keep in mind, and it takes awhile to cook. I make a big batch and freeze it in small containers (those 32 oz yogurt containers are perfect), then put them in the fridge to defrost the day before I plan to use them.

Stock vs. Broth: Sometimes people use the terms interchangeably, and most of the time you can use either/or in recipes. Stock is made by simmering bones, meat and vegetables. Gelatin (and lots of flavor) is released from the bones into the liquid, creating a richly colored and flavored liquid that has a lot of body, and, like Jello, turns to jelly when chilled. Broth is lighter in flavor and texture, and is made with meat and vegetables, but no bones. It remains liquid when chilled.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 3 hours

Yield: About 10-12 cups

You will need:

  • 8 quart stock pot with lid
  • 5-6 lbs of bone in chicken parts (I like what's called "whole chicken legs with backs." They're inexpensive -I found them for 69 cents a pound yesterday- and they lie nicely in the pot. However, you can use any cut of bone-in, skin-on chicken, or a whole chicken cut into pieces. Just be sure to rinse the raw chicken and scrape away any organ meat that the butcher didn't remove. If you don't do this, your stock will have an "off" taste.)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered. (Some people say that you can leave the skin on, but I remove it in case it's hiding any dirt or mold.  Also, the skin can change the color of the stock.)
  • 2 ribs of celery, plus leafy parts of the celery bunch, well washed and broken in half. (Celery can be pretty dirty. The leaves have lots of flavor.)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 1-2 dried bay leaves (Turkish bay is more readily available, and the flavor is lighter and more delicate. I'm from California, and I like to use California bay leaves that I pick myself, but the flavor can be stronger and even medicinal, so you have to taste the stock regularly and remove the leaves if it becomes too strong. Whichever you choose, make sure the leaves are fresh and fragrant and haven't been sitting in your cupboard for years.)
  • Small black peppercorns, one heaping teaspoon
  • Tablespoon of dried herbs: thyme, sage, oregano, rosemary, alone or in combination. You can use fresh as well, just thrown in stems and all, no need to chop or tie up.
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Directions:

Put the chicken, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, pepper, and herbs in the pot. Fill with water until the chicken is just covered. Put on the stove on high heat, and bring to a boil with the cover off. Then bring the temperature down to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 3 hours. I like to stir the pot occasionally, ever half hour or so, just to make sure things are cooking evenly.

You'll know the stock is done when the meat falls completely off the bones, and all the flavor has leached from the bones and meat into the golden yellow liquid.

Let cool until the liquid is warm but not hot, then strain out the liquid from the solids into another large pot or bowl, using a fine mesh strainer or a colander with very small holes. Then, fish out the bones from the solids, and squeeze what's left of the meat over the strainer to get as much of the liquid as you can.

Now salt the stock for the first time. The meat has natural salts in it, so it's best to wait until all those have cooked into the stock. Taste first before you add extra salt. I use gray sea salt or kosher salt, adding a half teaspoon at a time until it's just right. Use less if you're using regular table salt with a fine grain. You can also add the zest and juice of one lemon at this point. I find this gives the stock a bright, fresh flavor.

You'll notice that the stock has a layer of fat floating on the top. You can skim this off now with a large spoon, or store the stock as is in the fridge - the fat is easier to remove once it cools and becomes a solid. However, if you intend to freeze your stock, I suggest leaving the fat on. It creates a barrier from the cold air, protecting the stock from freezer burn.

You can throw away the fat, but I save it in a small container in the freezer. There's so much flavor in there, and if you're not watching saturated fats, you can fry potatoes in it, make matzo balls with it, sauté chicken in it. Delicious!

Girl with Spoonchicken, gluten-free, soup