Chicken Stock
Flavorful clear borth made with chicken bones and trimmings. Endleslesly useful, conveniently freeze for when you want to use it in a simple chicken noodle soup or when making classic French chicken fricassée.
Servings 6 portions
Ingredients
- 1.2 kilograms (2 ⅔ lb) chicken - carcass, wings, and skin
- 2 litres (2 litres) water
- 2 large (2 large) onions - sliced
- 1 whole head (1 whole head) garlic - cut in half
- 6 sprigs (6 sprigs) thyme
Optional extras
- 1 medium (1 medium) carrot
- 2 sticks (2 sticks) celery
- 3 grams (½ tablespoon) black peppercorns
Instructions
- Combine — Place chicken bones, onions, garlic, thyme, and cold water in a large pot.
- Skim — Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any grey foam and fat that rises to the surface.
- Simmer — Cook on very low heat (lazy bubbles) for 1 hour. During this some fat will rise to the top. Either skim it now or later once chilled.
- Steep — Turn off the heat and let the stock cool in the pot to room temperature (approx 2 hours).
- Strain — Pass through a fine sieve and discard solids.
- Store — Refrigerate. Remove the solidified fat cap once cold.
Notes
- Chicken — It's advised to use a mix of wings, carcass(bones left after removing the breasts, thighs, and wings), and trimmed fat for the best results. See the post for in-depth detail on this.
- Optional aromatics — You can optionally add carrots, celery, and peppercorns, or replace thyme with bay leaves. However, I recommend you use these when making a brown stock, which also requires roasting the bones and adding tomato paste.
- Seasoning — Do not salt the stock. This prevents complete flavor extraction and will cause overly salty sauces when reduced.
- Jelly — If you made it correctly, the stock will have a jelly consistency once chilled. This is a sign that things went well and that you have an excellent-quality stock.
- Fat — Once your stock is chilled, there might be a layer of congealed fat on top, depending on whether you skimmed it during cooking. Remove this layer with a spoon and use it for frying.
- Storage — It will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. Whenever you need some, scoop it out with a spoon and add it to your preparations. Don't worry about it looking like jelly. It will melt once heated. Freeze for more extended storage, and thaw in the fridge overnight if not using immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 250grams Calories: 45kcal Carbohydrates: 2g Protein: 9g Fat: 0.5g Saturated Fat: 0.1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 65mg Potassium: 220mg Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 10IU Calcium: 15mg Iron: 0.3mg
Keywords:chicken stock, how to make chicken stock
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