Super Savory Chicken Stock

While most people reserve cold Saturday or Sunday mornings for sleeping in, one of my favorite winter AM activities might surprise you.  I love to wake up and grab some chicken out of the fridge or freezer, collect the vegetables and herbs that we didn’t use during the week and make a satisfying stock. 

There are two things that I love most about making my own stock. The first is knowing exactly what is going into the food that I am eating. I personally don’t care for stocks that seem to be more about salt than chicken flavor. The other thing I really enjoy is saving money by using extra carrots or stalks of celery that are left from dinners during the week. 

My stock style, if you will, is not that of a disciplined French chef.  It is more along the lines of following the philosophy of making the most of what you already have. In fact, three of my biggest flavor boosters in this recipe might surprise you. First, I use a bit of chicken bouillon. Why just add salt? Instead of adding only one dimension, take the opportunity to add depth to your broth.  Personally, I love a product called Better than Bouillon. Once opened, you store it in the refrigerator, and I think it brings the best chicken flavor.

My second flavor boosting tip is to use the leftover stems of your leafy herbs. In this recipe, I add the stems from a bunch of parsley.  This allows your broth to get that subtle herbaceous flavor, without making taste like a freshly mowed lawn.  

Finally, you have to add at least a couple of pieces of whole, raw chicken meat. Even when I am using a leftover carcass from a roasted chicken, I always throw in a couple of drumsticks that I got on sale at the store. To me, that extra bit of protein and fat in the meat is what gives the stock a well-rounded flavor.

Check back in a few days when I will have a link to my recipe for Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken. It will be posted on one of my favorite sites to order fresh and organic groceries, Artizone.com.  This is a family friendly recipe that you can make and then use the leftovers to turn into a super stock!

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

    3 ½ pounds chicken parts (or bones from 1 roasted chicken, plus 2-3 drumsticks)

    2 cups coarsely chopped celery

    1 cup peeled and chopped carrots

    1 large onion quartered

    3 garlic cloves peeled

    5 black peppercorns

    1 dried bay leaf

    3 fresh thyme sprigs

    1 bunch fresh Italian parsley - stems only

    2 chicken bouillon cubes or one tablespoon of Better than Bouillon

Directions

    Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water and place in a stockpot. Add the celery, carrots, onions, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and bouillon. Add about 1 gallon of cold water or enough to cover the ingredients by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, for just a moment. Turn the heat to low and let simmer (bubbling very lightly,) partially covered, for 3 to 4 hours. Periodically, check the stock for fat. Skim the surface occasionally to remove fat and other impurities. Pass the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean saucepan before serving or freezing.