Chicken stock is one of the most important base ingredients in cooking. You can use it as a universal flavoring in almost any recipe, as a flavorful liquid instead of water, for making sauces, and even as a great natural thickening agent. And last but not least, it’s an essential ingredient for real, authentic Italian risotto.
When it comes to making chicken stock at home, you can definitely find some pretty fancy recipes. I’m not saying those are wrong. I’m just saying that you shouldn’t spend a couple of days making something as basic as stock. If the method I’m sharing with you below has worked for centuries, why wouldn’t it work for any home cook in the 21st century?
What Ingredients to Use
When making chicken stock, you can use any vegetables you like, or whatever is fresh at your local market. Carrots and celery are the most common, but you can add some parsnip, onions, or even some cabbage leaves.
Some people add a few peppercorns or even bay leaves to their chicken stock. The French use their famous bouquet garni – thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and celery leaves rolled in green leek leaves – to make chicken stock even tastier, but it works just fine without any spices. I don’t like to add salt at this stage, because then I won’t be able to adjust the salt level in my final recipe.
For the chicken part, use fresh bones and leftover parts, or you can even use leftovers from your Sunday chicken roast. But remember, it’s not the meat but the bones that give character to your stock.
How to Remove Fat
You can use your chicken stock as is, but the fat will still be there. To remove it, follow these simple steps.
- Put the chicken stock in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. The fat will solidify on top.
- With a spoon or a sieve, gently remove the fat from the top, being careful not to discard any of the stock.
How to Store Chicken Stock
You can use your chicken stock right away, simply using it in any recipe that calls for it. Or use it instead of water in savory recipes to give them more flavor. Chicken stock, especially when boiled down, is also a great thickener for sauces.
You can also store it in the fridge in plastic containers, but use it within a few days. Or store it in the freezer for up to one year.
With a simple trick, you can even make chicken stock ice cubes, or homemade frozen chicken bouillon cubes, and use them later. Once the fat is removed, bring the stock back to a boil. Reduce it over low heat to 1/4-1/6 of its original volume. This takes a few hours, but the result is remarkable. You get a very thick, jelly-like substance that is much easier to store. Pour it into regular ice cube trays and put them in your freezer. Use about one cube per person.
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1½ pound chicken parts bones, wings, trimmings etc. 750 g
- 1 onion
- 1-2 carrots
- 1-2 celery stalks
- other vegetables as you prefer
Instructions
- Remove the fatty parts and skin from the chicken parts. Wash and peel the vegetables. Put everything in a cooking pot, and add just enough water to cover everything.
- Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once it starts simmering, turn the heat to low and let it cook for at least 2 hours. The longer you cook it, the more flavor and collagen will be released into the water, making your chicken stock richer and thick
- Turn off the heat and let your chicken stock cool. Once it's lukewarm, strain it. Your chicken stock is basically ready.
- Optional: Let it cool in the fridge and skim off the solidified fat from the top.
