Essential Chicken Stock Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Combine chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf in a large stockpot; pour water into pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, being careful not to let the mixture come to a boil. Once simmering, skim off any foam or impurities that accumulate on the surface of the water and reduce the heat to low.
• Gently simmer the mixture on low for 12 hours, skimming off any foam as needed.
• Remove stockpot from heat and let cool for 1 hour.
• Pour stock through a fine strainer and transfer to food-safe containers.

CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Place chicken, vegetables, and herbs and spices in 12-quart stockpot. Set opened steamer basket directly on ingredients in pot and pour over water. Cook on high heat until you begin to see bubbles break through the surface of the liquid. Turn heat down to medium low so that stock maintains low, gentle simmer. Skim the scum from the stock with a spoon or fine mesh strainer every 10 to 15 minutes for the first hour of cooking and twice each hour for the next 2 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep bones and vegetables submerged. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.
• Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer into another large stockpot or heatproof container discarding the solids. Cool immediately in large cooler of ice or a sink full of ice water to below 40 degrees. Place in refrigerator overnight. Remove solidified fat from surface of liquid and store in container with lid in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days or in freezer for up to 3 months. Prior to use, bring to boil for 2 minutes. Use as a base for soups and sauces.

ESSENTIAL CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Place chicken, vegetables, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large stockpot with 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil, skimming impurities as they rise to the top. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming occasionally, until richly flavored, 3 to 4 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof container. Refrigerate at least 8 hours to allow fat (schmaltz) to solidify on top; skim and reserve. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place chicken thighs and legs on a sheet pan. Lightly coat with oil and roast until golden, about 35 to 45 minutes.
• Coat a large, deep stock pot lightly with olive oil. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic to the pot and bring it to a medium high heat. Cook the vegetables stirring frequently until they start to get soft and are very aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the oven and add to the pot of vegetables along with the bay leaves and thyme. Fill the pot with water. Place the pot on a burner on high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Eventually a gray scum will form on the top of the water. Skim the scum and the fat off the top of the water. Simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Refill the water as it evaporates.
• Strain stock and discard the chicken and veggies. Store the stock in smallish containers, plastic pint and quart containers from Chinese take out are perfect! Recycle! If not using right away freeze for later use.

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Place the bones and the water in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and boil gently for 30 minutes. Most of the fat and impurities will come to the surface during this time; skim off and discard as much of them as you can.
• Add the remainder of the ingredients, return the liquid to a boil and boil gently for 2 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or through a colander lined with a dampened cloth kitchen towel or dampened paper towels.
• Allow the stock to cool. Then remove the surface fat and freeze the stock in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Use as needed.

CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Tip everything into a large saucepan with a pinch of salt then cover with 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 hours, skimming when needed. Pass through a sieve and use for your intended recipe. Will keep in the fridge for a week and for three months in the freezer.

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Place all ingredients except water, parsley, dill and salt in a kettle. Add water (it should cover the ingredients) and bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes.
• Lower heat to a simmer and during the next five to 10 minutes carefully skim the top of the soup. When the soup seems to be simmering without additional scum collecting on top, add the parsley, dill and season with salt. Allow the soup to simmer for about two hours, adding a little additional water if necessary to keep the ingredients covered.
• Remove chicken, vegetables and herbs and strain soup through a strainer lined with a linen napkin or several thicknesses of cheesecloth.
• Return soup to a clean pot, return to a simmer and taste carefully for seasoning, adding additional salt if necessary. If the soup is too weak, continue simmering it to concentrate it until the desired intensity of flavor is reached. Chicken soup will keep in the refrigerator up to five days or it may be frozen.

EMERIL'S RICH CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken well under cool running water and remove the neck, gizzard, heart, and liver from the cavity if present. Place the chicken in a large stockpot or Dutch oven along with any parts (except the liver; it can give the stock a bitter taste), and cover with the stock and water. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour; at that point, the chicken should easily pull away from the bones.
• Using tongs, remove the chicken from the stock and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, discarding the vegetables. Pull the chicken meat off the bones, discarding the bones, skin, and any fat. Shred and reserve the meat, and refrigerate until needed. Cool the stock, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer for 6 months.