How to Make Chicken Stock

Summary

Making homemade chicken stock is an easy and cost-effective way to enhance soups, stews, and sauces. With just three main ingredients—chicken parts, vegetables, and water—you can create rich, flavorful stock. The process involves roasting chicken parts, simmering them with vegetables for two hours, and then straining the liquid. After chilling, you can remove excess fat. This stock can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for later use. Homemade stock is a versatile, budget-friendly staple that forms the base of many delicious recipes.

Takeaways

• 😀 Chicken stock is an essential ingredient for soups, stews, and sauces.
• 😀 Homemade stock is preferred over store-bought for its superior taste and cost-effectiveness.
• 😀 You can make chicken stock with leftover chicken parts such as backs, necks, and bones.
• 😀 The basic ingredients for chicken stock are chicken parts, vegetables, and water.
• 😀 Roasting chicken parts at 400°F for 20 minutes before making stock enhances the flavor.
• 😀 Step 1: Use about 2 lbs of assorted chicken pieces like backs, necks, and wings in a large pot.
• 😀 Step 2: Add vegetables like onion, carrot, and celery to the pot.
• 😀 Step 3: Add enough cold water to cover the chicken and vegetables, then bring it to a boil before lowering the heat and simmering for 2 hours.
• 😀 Skim off fat and foam that rise to the top to keep the stock clear and clean.
• 😀 After 2 hours, strain the stock, discard the vegetables, and save the chicken for other recipes or add it to the stock for chicken soup.

Q & A

Why is homemade chicken stock better than store-bought stock?

Homemade chicken stock is better because it offers richer flavor and you can control the ingredients. Additionally, making it yourself allows you to use parts of the chicken you might otherwise discard, like bones, backs, and necks, making it a more cost-effective option.

What are the three main ingredients needed to make chicken stock?

The three main ingredients are chicken parts, vegetables, and water.

What chicken parts are ideal for making stock?

You can use about 2 lbs of assorted chicken parts, such as backs, necks, wings, and bones.

What vegetables are recommended for this chicken stock recipe?

The recipe suggests using one medium onion (peeled and quartered), one medium carrot (peeled and cut into large sections), and two stalks of celery (cut into large pieces).

How long should you roast the chicken parts before making the stock?

Roast the chicken parts for 20 minutes in the oven at 400°F to deepen the flavor of the stock.

What should you do if the stock returns to a rolling boil while simmering?

If the stock returns to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low and add more water as needed. It's important to keep the stock at a gentle simmer for proper flavor extraction.

What is the purpose of skimming the fat and foam from the stock?

Skimming the fat and foam helps to prevent the stock from becoming cloudy and ensures a clearer, more refined flavor.

What should you do with the chicken and vegetables after the stock has finished simmering?

Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pot using tongs or a slotted spoon, and strain the stock to remove any remaining solids. You can compost the vegetables and use the chicken meat in other recipes or add it back to the stock for a chicken soup.

How do you store homemade chicken stock after it has been made?

After the stock has cooled, refrigerate it overnight. Once chilled, you can skim off any remaining fat. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen in small batches for later use.

What’s the difference between stock and broth?

Stock becomes broth once it is seasoned with salt, spices, and other flavorings such as garlic and herbs. Broth typically has a lighter, more flavorful profile, while stock is richer and more gelatinous due to the long cooking process that extracts collagen from the bones.