Chicken Stock / Chicken Broth

Yield: 2 quarts

Making your own chicken stock makes use of the whole chicken, and is a great way to use leftover veggies in the fridge. I have two recipes here: one calls to saute the veggies first to give the broth a deeper flavor, the other omits the veggies altogether for a simple stock.

Nutrition Tip: The longer a bone stock cooks, the more nutritious and mineral-rich it will become. Bone broths can cook for up  to 72 hours on very low heat. At this point, the stock cooks down into a liquid concentrate. If using vegetables in the stock, these should be added in at the final hour to avoid a bitter taste (alternatively, cook the broth for only 1 hour total).

SIMPLE STOCK
1 organic chicken or turkey carcass, raw or cooked (bones, cartilage, skins and any leftover meaty flesh)
Salt, to taste

Place the carcass in a large stock pot and fill with water to cover. Bring the water to just below a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Skim off any foam from the top with a spoon.

Simmer for 1-12 hours. Bring the stock to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours to harden the thin layer of fat at the top. Skim off the fat with a spoon. Strain out any large particles through a fine-meshed sieve or cheesecloth. Add more water at the end, if needed, and salt to taste.

The stock can be kept refrigerated for 4-5 days, or frozen for up to 6 months.

SAUTEED VEGGIE AND CHICKEN STOCK
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, rough chopped (no greens)
2 ribs celery, rough chopped with greens and ends
1 onion, rough chopped with skins
2 quarts filtered water
1 medium leek, rough chopped with roots and greens
3 whole cloves garlic, smashed with skins
1 tablespoon dried herbs (thyme, parsley, rosemary, savory, chervil…)
1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 chicken carcass, raw or cooked (bones, cartilage, skins and any leftover meaty flesh)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Add the carrots, celery and onions, sauteing for 5-6 minutes, until slightly soft and fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients.

Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 60 minutes, until the bones pull apart easily from the carcass. Strain, and bring the stock to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator for a couple hours to harden the thin layer of fat at the top. Skim off the fat with a spoon.

Taste, and adjust the flavors by adding salt and pepper or water, if needed.

The stock can be kept refrigerated for 4-5 days, or frozen for up to 6 months.

©2010 Copyright Alison Anton – All rights reserved.