How to Make Chicken Stock
Chicken Stock is a great base for many sauces and soups such as Beef Ragu Sauce and Pumpkin Soup.
You can buy chicken stock from the supermarket or make it yourself for a quarter of the price, not only will it taste so much better you can control the level of salt/preservatives you consume. If you make a big batch after you let it cool you can divide it into 250 ml batches and freeze for later.
Some recipes call for skimming the stock, this means every now and again you need to remove the brown scum from the top with a slotted spoon and discard. The scum is any dirt and fat from the ingredients which rises to the top when you apply heat.
If you can’t be bothered skimming, once the stock has cooled, you can pop it into the fridge and the fat will form a layer on the top, which can be removed easily before using.
Chicken Stock
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Large Kitchen Knife
- Large Pot
- Large Fine Sieve
- Muslin (optional)
- Zip Locked Bags or Plastic Containers (for storage)
Ingredients
- 1 large free-range chicken rinsed
- 2 unpeeled garlic cloves bruised with the side of a knife
- 3 celery stalks roughly chopped
- 2 leeks white part only, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs tarragon
- 2 parsley
- 2 rosemary
- 2 thyme
- 2 sage
- 5 whole peppercorns
- cold water enough to cover the chicken
Instructions
- Cover with a lid, then bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
- Turn chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Simmer uncovered, skimming foam from surface, for 1 ½ hours or until meat falls from bone, skimming as necessary.
- Strain stock through a sieve, If you have muslin lined the sieve. Discard solids.
- The stock will keep in the fridge for about 4 days and 2 – 3 months in the freezer