CookBook Home Page Soups List

Chicken Stock

About 2 Quarts


There is dramatic difference in taste of home made stock over what I have been able find in the market place. This includes upscale "organic' labels.
However in most soups it perhaps makes little difference because of the heavy favors that have been added. In the case of a subtly flavored broth it must be important.

INGREDIENTS

  • 7 to 8 lb. of chicken legs and thighs. Using a cleaver, all bones are to be broken in 2 to 3 places. This importantly gives access to the marrow.
  • 1 - 2 carrots
  • 2 stalks of celery and some of the leaf topping if available
  • 1 parsnip
  • 2 leeks and include almost all of the green top of one. Be sure to cut into the leeks in order to wash out the dirt.
  • 1 one large onion
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 tsp thyme; If fresh, 2-3 tsp
  • 2 tsp of Herbs Provincial
  • 3 sprigs of parsley
  • 1 cube Knorr beef bouillon. Offers color and flavor. (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken in enough water to generously cover and bring to slow boil. Remove with fine strainer the dusty gray scum that floats to surface. This will take 3 to 4 skimmings, each separated by 5 to 10 min. When little more significant amounts emerge you can now add rest of the above.

Slow boil for 3 more hours, maintaining a small leak in the cover.

Using a large, fine strainer clear the broth. Refrigerate 2 to 4 days. Skim off the solidified fat. Important to heat a couple of ounces, adding a little salt to see if the stock requires reducing. I could be a little watery. There are some patches that I have made that require reducing by as much as 1/3. ( Example 12 oz to 8 oz)

Can now place the broth in freezer for up to 3 to 4 months. I repeatedly defrost in microwave the amount needed and place back in the freezer.

Admittedly this is a large amount; can proportionally reduce. It is a long winded project but by making a large amount it minimizes the travail.