Now that university classes and exams have finished for the year, I have a lot more free time on my hands. Today I decided to make chicken stock. A few days ago we bought a roasted chicken from the supermarket to use the meat in sandwiches. We also got a chicken pasta bake from the meat as well. I wanted to use the entire bird (waste not want not). Also, stock is delicious. Especially home-made stock.
Note that this is just what I did… I’m not saying this is a perfect recipe.
Ingredients:
- The bones and skin from one (preferably free-range) roasted chicken.
- A large onion.
- About eight baby carrots. You could use one large one.
- A stick of celery.
- A few peppercorns.
- A small handful of herbs.
Method:
- Break any large chicken bones into small pieces (this will help get the good bits out of the marrow) and divide the carcass up a bit smaller as well. Chuck it all in a large saucepan.
- Cut up the carrots and celery into small chunks. Chuck those into the pot.
- Cut the onion (with the skin still on) into quarters. Chuck that in the pot.
- Add enough cold water to the pot to cover the other ingredients well.
- Add a few peppercorns and whatever herbs you have handy (I used a small handful) into the pot.
- Put the saucepan on to boil, covered.
- When the saucepan is boiling, reduce the heat to low and remove the lid. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
- Leave it to simmer for three to four hours, then remove from the heat.
- Leave it to cool, then strain liquid and discard solids.
- Use the completed stock within four days, or freeze it.
Note that one bird doens’t make a huge amount of stock (probably about a litre), so it’s probably worth stockpiling the bones and skins until you have two or three. I was just impatient.