Soup Basics - How to Make Your Own Chicken Stock
It was not all that long ago that soups and stews were always made at home.
I can remember my grandmother's stock pot always, it seemed, simmering on the back of the stove.
When she was preparing a meal I would see her turn and drop things into that pot.
Onion peelings, the ends of carrots or celery leaves.
Sometimes it would be other vegetables.
She might add a cup or water occasionally, and it seemed like she did this throughout the day.
We don't keep a stock pot on the burner anymore,and that is perhaps one of the great losses brought about by progress.
But we can still make a rich stock that we can use to create hearty meals and we don't have to cook it all day long.
Here is how.
If you do a lot of cooking you undoubtedly know to always keep a zipper bag in the freezer with the bits and pieces you have removed form chicken through the week,or month.
You would keep the skin that you have removed, wing tips, and perhaps bones if you have removed them from a bird.
The back is also an especially rich addition to your stock bag.
But,many of us purchase the cut up birds so you may not have a ready supply of chicken parts to start with.
That's fine.
You can use a package of chicken parts if you wish.
You will first want to get a large 'stock pot' ready to receive all the ingredients.
I fill mine about 1/2 full of water and set it on the back burner of the stove to start cooking.
Set the burner on a medium heat and you will turn it down as the pot begins boil so that it is reduced to a simmer.
You can also use your crock pot and let the stock mixture cook all day, but I have found that a stock pot supplies me with 6 or 7 quarts of stock that I can use for up to three weeks by keeping it in the refrigerator.
A Crock pot will only give me 2 or 3 quarts.
As I use a lot of stock, the pot is best for me, but this is your choice.
To your pot of water add 1 medium onion cut in quarters.
I also like to add 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning.
This is a simple mixture of sage, thyme and marjoram and is usually easy to find in the spice isle of your store.
Cut up the chicken meat into small pieces.
Don't worry about legs or wings,but cut the back and other larger pieces into several smaller pieces.
This exposes more area to the cooking process and also allows more of the meat juices to be extracted more quickly.
Add the meat to the warm but not yet boiling water.
Again, this helps get the juices flowing from the meat.
This is what makes a rich and hearty stock.
For an even richer flavor,brown the meat first and add the drippings to the pot as well.
As the pot begins to come to a boil you will see a foam begin to form.
This is normal.
Use a shallow but large spoon to skim off and discard it.
Don't worry if you can't get it all.
You will be able to remove the remainder of it when we strain the mixture later.
Now you will want to add your other vegetables.
I usually add some carrots and celery.
You could also add any small amounts of leftover vegetables from your weekly meals.
This serves to add another layer of flavor to stock without changing the overall taste.
Allow the pot to simmer several hours,covered, on low heat.
If using a crock pot, start it on high for the first hour then turn it down to medium and let it cook 6-8 more hours.
When the cooking time has passed, turn off the heat and let the pot cool for about an hour sitting in a sink full of ice water.
Cooling the stock quickly forces the remaining fat to the surface where it can be skimmed off easily.
Once it has cooled enough to handle and you have removed the fats, you can strain it through a cheesecloth draped colander or wire mesh strainer.
Store in tightly sealed jars in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks or you can pour into ice-cube trays and freezer in batches.
Empty your 'stock cubes' into zipper bags and keep them handy in the freezer.
Don't be alarmed if you take out a jar of stock and see a film of fat has collected on the top.
Just use a spoon to remove it, HOWEVER, you may wish to leave a little as the fat adds a good flavor to the stock.
When you are ready to make your next chicken soup, stew,or casserole, substitute your homemade stock for any water called for in the recipe.
DID YOU NOTICE I did not add any salt to the stock? A can of purchased stock typically has around 900 mg of sodium,or more.
By making your own stock at home you can control one more aspect of the appearance of salt in your diet.
Any by now we all know that reducing salt helps us reduce our risks of certain diseases such as heart attack and high blood pressure.
I can remember my grandmother's stock pot always, it seemed, simmering on the back of the stove.
When she was preparing a meal I would see her turn and drop things into that pot.
Onion peelings, the ends of carrots or celery leaves.
Sometimes it would be other vegetables.
She might add a cup or water occasionally, and it seemed like she did this throughout the day.
We don't keep a stock pot on the burner anymore,and that is perhaps one of the great losses brought about by progress.
But we can still make a rich stock that we can use to create hearty meals and we don't have to cook it all day long.
Here is how.
If you do a lot of cooking you undoubtedly know to always keep a zipper bag in the freezer with the bits and pieces you have removed form chicken through the week,or month.
You would keep the skin that you have removed, wing tips, and perhaps bones if you have removed them from a bird.
The back is also an especially rich addition to your stock bag.
But,many of us purchase the cut up birds so you may not have a ready supply of chicken parts to start with.
That's fine.
You can use a package of chicken parts if you wish.
You will first want to get a large 'stock pot' ready to receive all the ingredients.
I fill mine about 1/2 full of water and set it on the back burner of the stove to start cooking.
Set the burner on a medium heat and you will turn it down as the pot begins boil so that it is reduced to a simmer.
You can also use your crock pot and let the stock mixture cook all day, but I have found that a stock pot supplies me with 6 or 7 quarts of stock that I can use for up to three weeks by keeping it in the refrigerator.
A Crock pot will only give me 2 or 3 quarts.
As I use a lot of stock, the pot is best for me, but this is your choice.
To your pot of water add 1 medium onion cut in quarters.
I also like to add 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning.
This is a simple mixture of sage, thyme and marjoram and is usually easy to find in the spice isle of your store.
Cut up the chicken meat into small pieces.
Don't worry about legs or wings,but cut the back and other larger pieces into several smaller pieces.
This exposes more area to the cooking process and also allows more of the meat juices to be extracted more quickly.
Add the meat to the warm but not yet boiling water.
Again, this helps get the juices flowing from the meat.
This is what makes a rich and hearty stock.
For an even richer flavor,brown the meat first and add the drippings to the pot as well.
As the pot begins to come to a boil you will see a foam begin to form.
This is normal.
Use a shallow but large spoon to skim off and discard it.
Don't worry if you can't get it all.
You will be able to remove the remainder of it when we strain the mixture later.
Now you will want to add your other vegetables.
I usually add some carrots and celery.
You could also add any small amounts of leftover vegetables from your weekly meals.
This serves to add another layer of flavor to stock without changing the overall taste.
Allow the pot to simmer several hours,covered, on low heat.
If using a crock pot, start it on high for the first hour then turn it down to medium and let it cook 6-8 more hours.
When the cooking time has passed, turn off the heat and let the pot cool for about an hour sitting in a sink full of ice water.
Cooling the stock quickly forces the remaining fat to the surface where it can be skimmed off easily.
Once it has cooled enough to handle and you have removed the fats, you can strain it through a cheesecloth draped colander or wire mesh strainer.
Store in tightly sealed jars in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks or you can pour into ice-cube trays and freezer in batches.
Empty your 'stock cubes' into zipper bags and keep them handy in the freezer.
Don't be alarmed if you take out a jar of stock and see a film of fat has collected on the top.
Just use a spoon to remove it, HOWEVER, you may wish to leave a little as the fat adds a good flavor to the stock.
When you are ready to make your next chicken soup, stew,or casserole, substitute your homemade stock for any water called for in the recipe.
DID YOU NOTICE I did not add any salt to the stock? A can of purchased stock typically has around 900 mg of sodium,or more.
By making your own stock at home you can control one more aspect of the appearance of salt in your diet.
Any by now we all know that reducing salt helps us reduce our risks of certain diseases such as heart attack and high blood pressure.