Scraps 'N Stock

Last week I had the therapeutic pleasure of breaking down a whole chicken into parts.  When complete, I had a pile of scraps including the chicken back and wing tips.  Those scraps make the perfect base for homemade chicken stock, one of the best items to keep in inventory. 

I usually don't like to add too many seasonings to my stock to keep it as versatile as possible.  If I throw a lot of thyme and rosemary in the pot, the stock may no longer be eligible for an Asian flavored dish in the future.  For this reason, my stocks [usually] consist of chicken, water, an onion, a carrot, salt, and pepper.

The first step is to roast the chicken and bones in a 350Dg oven for an hour to brown them.  This super important step adds great depth of flavor and color to the stock.  Once the bones are browned, place the carcass in a pot with roughly broken down vegetables and cover with water.  Bring to a lazy boil.

After 15 minutes or so, the stock will start to look gunky as scuzz surfaces.  Skim the top and discard the scuzz.  After a few periodic cleanings, scuzz should cease to surface.

Allow the pot to remain at a lazy boil on a medium-low heat for 5-6 hours.  The water level may have to be replenished periodically to keep the chicken submerged.  At the end of six hours, strain the stock and discard the vegetables and chicken scraps.  Fat may form at the top and can be skimmed, but it won't really hurt anyone.  

The result is a rich brown stock that can be used to elevate any dish.  Homemade stocks allow for ultimate sodium control, are cheap, resourceful, but most importantly delicious.

Comments

[Tatiana]

One of the best tricks up any home cook's sleeve is good homemade stock. Thanks for the reminder. I usually throw in a couple bay leaves, a few whole peppercorns and a handful of parsley stems in addition to the veggies.

[Stash]

A Parmesan cheese rind or prosciutto end does a great job too!

[Chef E]

Great piece Dash...I recently saw a video where the chef used a dark chicken stock and the host questioned this...I assume he had roasted the bones and veggies like I was taught in school...sooooo full of flavor! We wonder why our mom's chicken soup was rather bland and they added so much celery and other items, but it did not help...at least to me...