4 Ways to Make Chicken Stock
I have realized in the past several months that so much about the economy of cooking at home is about volume and frequency. With a constantly rotating list of ingredients in the household (leftover parsley from one recipe, leftover ginger from another), you have at hand a greater array to work with (and to experiment with) than if you are always buying ingredients for one or two recipes a week. Unfortunately, it seems to me one would have to eat a lot of chickens to have the means to make stock for all the recipes that call for it. That’s why I’m not a purist when it comes to stock. If a recipe calls for a cup or less, I use Better Than Bouillon, but if I’m making a stew or soup, I”ll use up the homemade stock I have frozen in 4-cup portions.
Growing up it seems like there was always a chicken carcass simmering away (the Silver method below) in a tall stockpot on the Russian fireplace. And as children often do, I kept making stock just the way my mama taught me until I learned how to cut up a chicken. Turns out, making stock from the leftover backbone (Gold) makes a super flavorful broth and is now my favorite method. I’ve never made stock from whole chickens (Platinum), though I hear it is irrefutably the best. Each household just has to find the method that’s just right for them. But undoubtedly, the best tip I ever got about the process beyond the chicken itself came directly from all of you: keep a stock bag in the freezer and stuff it with papery onion skins, carrot nobs and peels, and odds and ends of vegetable scraps. Since I can’t compost in my little apartment, this achieves that prairie girl desire to have zero-waste.
Do you make stock with one of these methods below, or some other way? Do tell!
Platinum: Whole Chicken
from the Barefoot Contessa
3 (5-pound) roasting chickens
3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
4 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds
4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in half, optional
20 sprigs fresh parsley
15 sprigs fresh thyme
20 sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Chill the stock overnight. The next day, remove the surface fat. Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Gold: Chicken Back
When you’re following a recipe that requires you to cut chicken into parts, keep the backbone. Drop in a large pot, cover with water, and throw in one halved onion, garlic cloves, a couple carrots, and stalks of celery (especially the inner stalks with leaves) or whatever you have on hand in your stock bag. Add whole peppercorns and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour or until the broth develops a nice chickeny flavor (continue simmering if flavor doesn’t seem concentrated enough). Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Chill the stock overnight. The next day, skim off the surface fat. Use right away or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Silver: Chicken Carcass
You had an amazing roast chicken dinner. Throw the chicken carcass in a stock pot and cover with water (or stash it in a bag in the freezer until you have a couple and then proceed). Drop in one halved onion, garlic cloves, a couple carrots, and stalks of celery (especially the inner stalks with leaves) or whatever you have on hand in your stock bag. Add whole peppercorns and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour or until the broth develops a nice chickeny flavor (continue simmering if flavor doesn’t seem concentrated enough). Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Chill the stock overnight. The next day, skim off the surface fat. Use right away or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bronze: Chicken Poaching Liquid
When making a recipe that calls for you to poach chicken parts, like a chicken salad, continue simmering the chicken poaching liquid, adding more aromatics like carrots, celery, and onions, along with whole peppercorns and a bay leaf until the flavor has concentrated. Use right away as a light broth or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Rebecca: You are a girl after my own heart! I am always tossing scraps or about-to-go-bad produce into my freezer so that when I have enough (or when I finally get some chicken parts) I can make a stock. Usually it’s the “Gold” method.
I’ve even trained my roommate! The other day I heard him tell his boyfriend, “Put it in the freezer so Rebecca can make stock!”30 weeks ago
Rebecca, I’ve never managed to train my roommates to do anything, so YOU’RE a girl after MY heart.
30 weeks ago
Alyson: I do any or all of those listed, mostly the chicken carcasses because three growing kids can pick a chicken clean! But most often (because I am time poor and yet always desirous of good ‘proper’ food) I do the Platinum method in the slow cooker, thus ending up with beautiful stock, and cooked chicken meat for freezing for another meal. The slow cooker is my first love for stock making lately.30 weeks ago
Diane Carol: I’m a combo girl….silver and gold. I also do veg stock, beef stock and ham stock. Not much is ever wasted! Now, the next blog should center around making homemade noodles! It really just takes a few minutes…and couldn’t be more rustic, hearty, filling and delicious!30 weeks ago
Alice: Question: what is the difference between just using the chicken back and using the chicken carcass? Is it that the back is raw, whereas the carcass is cooked?
You’ve inspired me to give it a shot the next time I have chicken parts!30 weeks ago
Sarah F: I think I should hang my head in shame… I’ve never made a stock. They always sounded so difficult! But this isn’t difficult at all. I think I’m going to try one soon!30 weeks ago
Oh my gosh, Alyson, you slow cooker people are convincing me to join your club! Though the last thing I need is another appliance in the kitchen cupboard…
Diane, Wow, that’s amazing. Do you have a method you like for veg stock? Is there anything you use it in that you wouldn’t sub chicken for?
Alice, Good question. As for the actual difference, it’s that the chicken carcass was roasted and then eaten (sorry if that wasn’t clear) and the chicken back is raw. The qualitative difference in taste I’m not really sure about, but I think it’s because there is still a lot of meat on the chicken back. It being raw might have something to do with it, too. Anyone know?
Sarah F, Sometimes cookbooks and “experts” make things sound harder than they are. It can be a little time-consuming if they need to simmer away for longer than an hour, but it’s not time when you need to do anything. It’s just time when you can be in the other room painting your toenails.30 weeks ago
Eliza: For chicken stock, I usually use the carcass. But I also make veggie stock using everything but the chicken and instead add roasted mushrooms. I have to buy the mushroom for the stock, but they make a delicious stock that is much richer than chicken stock for risottos. It’s also helpful to have around for making dishes for my veggie friends.30 weeks ago
Meghan: i usually do the gold method, but on the few occasions i spring for platinum, like alyson i save the cooked meat for something else. my favorite thing to do is freeze the meat with 2 quarts of stock — then all i have to do when feeling sick, blue or just needing something comforting is pop the frozen stock/chicken in a slow cooker or on the stove, add carrots, onion and celery, then noodles and voila - instant chicken soup!
thanks for reminding me about keeping a bag of veggie scraps in the freezer. i’m good with meat scraps, but have a bunch of veggie scraps slowly wilting in the fridge i need to freeze!30 weeks ago
Rebecca: I do the silver method only, but the others sound fantastic, too!29 weeks ago
Wendy: I use the Tin method.
Place your chicken in a baking pan. Sprinkle a touch of salt. Cover with foil and bake. Whatever liquid is in the pan gets drained off into a container and saved in the fridge. Yes, the fat rises to the top, but DO NOT scrape off. It keeps the jellied juices good for many months in the fridge. Adding some of this jellied goodness to soups with a base of water really pumps up the voulume. You are actually getting some of the marrow from the bones which is really good. If it is too late for that, roast some of your bones you have been saving, then make stock from them. Mighty tastey and darker in color.29 weeks ago
Amy C: Every time I see that Ina Garten recipe, I just think “three chickens? Is she serious? I hope that recipe makes enough chicken stock to feel a small army!”
I ♥ the carcass method, especially if the chicken has been roasted. The roasting gives the stock an extra depth of flavor.
I also recently tried the Alice Waters method, which was every bit as good as gold-level chicken stock. Here’s a link to the recipe: http://tinyurl.com/y9jvk3m29 weeks ago
Eliza, Mmm, I love the idea of mushroom stock for risotto. Makes so much more sense to me, too, since I’m usually making mushroom risotto anyway.
Meghan, If I did Platinum, I would use the meat for something else, too. I can’t believe Ina just tosses it!
Wendy, I love your idea of the tin method. Sounds so easy.
Amy, I know just what you mean about the three chickens. I feel a little incredulous about it, too.29 weeks ago
Tiffany: I tend to use the silver method, but I also keep chicken parts in the freezer (we buy them at Costco, legs, thighs and wings on the bone) and will boil those to make stock. When the meat is cooked, I’ll pull it out, strip the bone and then toss the bone back in for a couple more hours. This is the best way to get all you need for chicken soup.
I have been making/keeping my own stock for a few months now and it makes me feel so super industrious! And it’s so handy!!29 weeks ago
caitlin: i make veg stock most often, and every once in a while chicken or turkey stock (turkey tastes basically the same and is just as versatile).
for my veg stock, i just keep my veg scraps in the freezer until i have a gallon baggie about filled (usually only takes about a week, especially now that it’s leek season!). i put all the scraps except onion and garlic trimmings (ends and skins) in a large stockpot and cover with water. i like to sautee the onion and garlic scraps first to get them a little brown to add flavor. i add them into the stockpot (which hasn’t even boiled yet) and let the whole thing simmer for about 35-40 min. i’ve heard that if you let it go too long it can become bitter - i think it has a ton of flavor after a half hour or so. i use the veg stock in any recipe that calls for chicken stock or veg stock. in fact, i had a particularly spicy stock (after a week of eating many serrano peppers and saving the insides and seeds) that i used in your mushroom and barley soup and it came out incredible!
for chicken and turkey stock, i just freeze carcasses until i have a couple (can take a little while). simmer with the traditional carrots, celery, onions, peppercorns, and a bay leaf. yum.
now i have to get around to learning how to make fish stock. my bf is a little weirded out by the fish heads and bones currently living in a baggie in our freezer.29 weeks ago
Desi: I love Better than Bouillon. I love that you can get organic meat options for so much less than the septic pack stuff. I use about half of what it calls for. Since I’ve been doing Meatless Mondays I also love the chicken less version. It has such a nice flavor. I don’t seem to miss the chicken at all.29 weeks ago
Matriarchy: I make stock at least monthly. We use it for soup, cooking grits and rice, making gravy and sauces. At two of my local farmer’s markets, I can buy chicken backs from organic poultry vendors. One sells a 5-lb ziplock for $2. The other is a flat .99/lb. I almost always get at least a few backs, and freeze them until I need to make stock.
I also have a source of pastured pork bones for .40/lb, and I make roasted pork stock. Same process as chicken stock, but I roast the bones in a slow oven for an hour or more first, put just the bones and de-glazed pan scrapings into the pot with water, and let them cook until the foam forms. Then I skim the pot, and add all the rest of the herbs and veg.29 weeks ago
www.geekxnerd.com: I’m a silver girl most of the time! Waste not, want not!
I also freeze my veggie scraps and I made my first batch of veggie only stock the other day. It came out pretty tasty if I do say so myself. I’ve also been wanting to experiment with fish stock. I have the back bone from a huge salmon that I bought in the freezer. Some hefty chunks of meat stuck to that thing, so I thought, “I’m not throwing this away!” I’m either going to try and make fish stock, or make a salmon chowder and see if that meat will come off the bone with a little poaching…28 weeks ago
sira: Just an addition. I find that if you brown the bones and/or chicken pieces before you add to the scrapes of vegetables, it makes a more flavorful stock. You don’t have to simmer all day…but a couple of hours will do the trick. The stock is more golden…but who cares when the flavor is so good!1 week ago