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Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Chicken Stock

April 24, 2013 by Mary Frances 21 Comments

Chicken stock simmerin gin a pot.Last night at a business cocktail event I was talking to my friend Lani about cooking. She told me how she had made the same recipe a second time, but it didn’t turn out as well as it had the first time. When she remarked this to the friend who had given her the recipe, the friend asked if she had been in a good mood when she made it. She said, “You know what, I wasn’t.”

You see – she wasn’t making it with LOVE! You must be in happy place when cooking and your food will always taste better!

Well, it’s better to be in a happy, loving place all the time anyway, right?

It is also always best to make your own chicken stock. It’s really very, very easy and you feel so professional and accomplished when you do it. At least I do! If you make it yourself, you know exactly what’s in it AND you control the salt. And when you make it with LOVE, it’s happy chicken stock! When finished, it keeps easily in the freezer. Dividing it into several different sized containers – 1, 2 and 4 cup increments – works well.

TIP: And here’s a tip from my oldest son. Even if you just need a ¼ cup or so, thaw the frozen broth in the microwave for a minute or two, just so you can dump it out of the container in one piece on a cutting board and then carefully cut off what you need. Put the rest back into the container and back into the freezer! Pretty cool, eh?

So here’s the scoop, including some new things I learned at a cooking class I took at the International Culinary Institute (ICE) last fall. Chop your big bones, like legs and thighs, to get more flavor out of the marrow. Add in extra wings and wing tips if you have them as they have the most gelatin, as well as – are you ready for this? – chicken feet!!! This last one I haven’t been able to do yet. Somehow I’m having trouble with the thought and visual of seeing red chicken feet bobbing around in my broth, but hey, who knows?

My recipe:

MARY’S CHICKEN STOCK

One whole carcass of a roasted chicken, large bones chopped in half, including any juices, herbs or cheese rinds left – see my Roast Chicken recipe

Extra wing tips, if you have them

One whole carrot, skin scraped, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into thirds

One whole parsnip, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into thirds

One whole celery stalk with leaves, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into thirds

One whole medium onion, peeled and cut into quarters and each quarter studded with one clove

One bay leaf

Fennel stalks and fennel fronds from one fennel bulb (optional)

A handful of fresh Italian parsley

Coarse sea salt to taste

12 whole black peppercornsIngredients for homemade chicken stock on a wooden cutting board.

Throw everything into a stock pot, cover with cold water to 1 ½” from the top of the pot, and bring nearly to a boil. Skim off any foam that gathers at the top and remove. Turn heat down to low, to simmer, with the pot lid just slightly ajar. Check and stir periodically and simmer for 4 hours, at least. More time is even better to achieve a dark, rich broth.

Let cool and strain all through a cheesecloth lined, fine mesh strainer and divide into containers. Refrigerate, if using within a week or freeze to use whenever.

A stock like this insures you’ll make your best risotto ever!

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Filed Under: Poultry Tagged With: bay leaves, carrots, celery, chicken broth, chicken stock, cloves, frozen stock tips, onions

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Comments

  1. johnnysenough hepburn says

    April 24, 2013 at 7:04 PM

    There’s nothing better than home-made chicken stock. Yes, I agree with you about the feet! That’s exactly what was used, as well as gizzards and stuff, whilst I was studying catering. I wasn’t impressed then and I’m still not happy with the idea. The neck I would be okay with, though. I also like your inclusion of the clove studded onions. That would be really great with Puy lentils as a bed for spatchcocked quail.

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 24, 2013 at 11:37 PM

      I agree – neck is ok. What is spatchcocked quail?

      Reply
      • johnnysenough hepburn says

        April 25, 2013 at 10:10 AM

        Even though it’s really popular here I couldn’t find a British recipe for spatchedcocked quail on a bed of lentils. This is the closest I could find: http://robin-ellis.net/2013/02/01/spatchcocked-quail-with-a-simple-green-sauce/

        Reply
        • Mary Frances says

          April 25, 2013 at 12:18 PM

          Oh – so it’s the method of removing the backbone and flattening the bird! I do that with my buttermilk chicken recipe. Thanks!

          Reply
  2. yummychunklet says

    April 24, 2013 at 10:07 PM

    Great tip about “cutting off” the amount you need!

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 24, 2013 at 11:38 PM

      Yes! It works really well!

      Reply
  3. {Main St. Cuisine} says

    April 24, 2013 at 10:15 PM

    I’ve not used fennel when preparing my chicken stock. I’ll have to try that next time. Right now, I have several containers in the freezer. 😉

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 24, 2013 at 11:38 PM

      Lucky you!! Always good to have around. The fennel is nice – it’s a light touch.

      Reply
  4. Kathy says

    April 24, 2013 at 11:19 PM

    Reblogged this on Kathy Wray : My Favorite Recipes , Favorite Music, Favorite Videos, and more.

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 24, 2013 at 11:39 PM

      Thanks Kathy!

      Reply
  5. lani doktori says

    April 25, 2013 at 8:40 AM

    Thanks for the shout out Mary. you inspire us all.

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 25, 2013 at 12:19 PM

      : ) Thanks!!!

      Reply
  6. Lani Doktori says

    April 25, 2013 at 8:48 AM

    Hi. still can not find the reply to my query about your utensil jar. How do i find it. Sorry for the trouble.

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 25, 2013 at 12:19 PM

      No no – not at all. She said Exposures catalog!

      Reply
      • Lani Doktori says

        April 25, 2013 at 12:32 PM

        Thank you. found it finally

        Reply
  7. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    April 25, 2013 at 9:08 AM

    I think cooking with a smile makes a difference but I’m not sure how. 🙂 I make my own stock and can’t imagine not doing it. It’s easy and so much better than that really salty stuff you can buy.

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 25, 2013 at 12:21 PM

      I know – but it does make a difference. It must be the positive, loving, energy vibrations.

      Reply
  8. azbacoats says

    April 25, 2013 at 4:00 PM

    making turkey stock after Thanksgiving is my favorite! thanks for the tips and new recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      April 29, 2013 at 9:28 AM

      No prob! Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. jbussery says

    May 3, 2013 at 6:05 PM

    Nice recipe! May have to try this out sometime. Nothing beats homemade stock.

    Reply
    • Mary Frances says

      May 5, 2013 at 4:37 PM

      So true!

      Reply

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