Next up on my journey to becoming an "accomplished cook" was chicken stock. I researched several different recipes and came up with one conclusion - ingredients in chicken stock are adjustable. I also realized that I didn't have a stock pot big enough to make the amount of stock yielded in most recipes. So I adjusted my ingredients to accommodate what was already in my refrigerator, decreased the amount to fit my 10 quart stock pot and substituted rotisserie chicken carcasses from my weeknight meals for raw chickens. I don't know if that would technically be considered cheating since most recipes I found used raw chicken and I was using cooked chicken carcass, but it worked with what I had on hand and was way cheaper than buying a chicken for the soul purpose of making stock. Regardless of my changes and my deviation from most traditional recipes, I ended up with stock and it was a delicious stock at that. This was extremely easy, but I am not sure that I am a converted homemade chicken stock lover just yet. The boxed stocks with the screw tops are so convenient and they stay fresh for such a long time in the fridge. I guess I need to use my homemade stock in a recipe before I declare boxed stock the winner. I will update this post after the homemade stock has been put to the recipe test. The best part of cooking chicken stock is the wonderful aroma that filled my house all day Saturday as I sat home and cheered for my Saints!View my progress on the list below:
1. Yeast Bread - Check.
2. Beef Tenderloin Steaks
3. Cream Pie
4. Creme Brulee
5. Fudge
6. Cream Puffs
7. Crown Roast
8. Fried Chicken
9. Roux - Check.
10. Pasta and Cream Sauce - Check.
11. Roasted Turkey and Gravy - Check.
12. Chocolate Pudding - Check.
13. Layer Cake - Check.
14. Souffle
15. Chicken Stock - Check.
7 down, 8 to go!
Homemade Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 2 rotisserie chicken carcasses
- 1 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
- 3 carrots, unpeeled and halved
- 2 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 sprigs fresh parsley
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
- 1 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 gallon of cold water
Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, garlic, and seasonings in a 8 to 10-quart stockpot.
Add 1 gallon of cold water
and bring to a boil.
Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours. Do not stir during simmer. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander placed on top of a large bowl to catch the liquid and discard the solids.
Strain the liquid again through a fine sieve to eliminate all herbs and small particles (see below) left in the liquid.
Chill the stock overnight. The next day, remove the surface fat.
Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.Click Here for Printable Recipe
I am definitely going to make homemade stock. I agree that boxed stock tastes fine to me, but it's so expensive to keep buying for recipes! I want to do this with a whole raw chicken, maybe in the crockpot? Then i will have cooked chicken to use for future recipes, and a bunch of stock left over. Thanks for the tutorial - I could use any advice I see! :)
ReplyDeleteCooking this made the house smell so good.
ReplyDeleteYou'll never go back to stock in the box!!! It makes such a huge difference to the depth in flavors. I think the carcass was the way to go (the geletin in the bones). Great tutorial! -LeslieMichele
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only one who kept chicken carcasses in the freezer for stock. Although I usually buy the box because its so much easier.
ReplyDeleteAnyway for your stovetop tenderloin steaks, these are so easy and this is my preferred method. Season the steakd with a little salt and pepper. I usually heat the skillet on medium heat, cook ~6 oz filet for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare, up to 7 min if its really thick. Let rest for 10 min. You can even slice up some new potatoes and bell pepper to saute in the skillet after you take the steaks out. Quick and easy meal.
Your chicken stock sounds just great. I can almost smell it from here!
ReplyDeletei'm with you on the store bought stuff! the homemade stuff is awesome in theory, but for now i'm going to go the lazy route :)
ReplyDeletei will come find your recipe should i ever change my mind! i'm curious to see your thoughts after you make something with it
this is so fun, i love your list! i have never made chicken broth, but i bet the homemade stuff makes your food taste even better!
ReplyDeleteHow could you have been around the food blog world since '08 and I'm just now finding you!? You're food looks AMAZING!!!! I'm adding you to my favs! I like the idea of the 15 things to make before you die. Might try it myself.
ReplyDeleteI too decided to make my own chicken stock only 1 month ago. Been roasting chickens and making stock and freezing it and using it too! Makes everything taste that much better too!
ReplyDeleteAn easy trick to remove fat from stock/broth is to lay a scrutched up plastic wrap piece on top of the liquid. Put it in the fridge and the next day the solid fat will have stuck to the plastic which you can take off in one piece instead of scrapping with a spoon.
ReplyDelete