How to Make Chicken Stock From Scratch
When we first opened, one of our customers, Edie, explained to us the importance of using a homemade chicken stock and just how easy it is to prepare. Homemade stock makes a real difference to the depth of flavour in any recipe compared to using a shop-bought one. If you roast a chicken or cook any bone-in chicken, use the leftover carcass and bones to make this broth. You can also buy carcasses at your local butcher, or use whole skin-on chicken thighs and wings. Once made, Edie freezes hers in giant ice cube trays so she has portioned ready stock 'cubes' to add flavour to any stew or soup recipe.
Makes about 3.5 litres
Makes about 3.5 litres
Ingredients
2 raw chicken carcasses*3-4 celery sticks, chopped
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 tbsp olive oil
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp freshly cracked pepper
4 litres water
*If you only have one carcass, you can freeze it until you have another to use for this recipe. Alternatively, you can halve the recipe, or use 400–650g chicken bones or chicken wings in place of the second carcass.
Method
- Add olive oil to a deep cocotte or stock pot. Add the chopped celery, onions, carrots, and crushed garlic. Sauté over a medium heat until translucent. (This is called a soffritto.)
- Take the soffritto out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside for later. Add the chicken carcasses. Brown over a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Put the soffritto back into the pot and add the herbs and pepper. Stir well and add the water.
- Let the mixture simmer for about 2 hours over a low heat (add more water if it reduces by more than two thirds).
- Strain and use straight away or freeze.
BK Tips
- To speed up the process, you can use a pressure cooker: Follow the same steps until you add the water (Step 3). Then, for Step 4, secure the lid and heat at high temperature until you reach high pressure. Once the pressure cooker is at high pressure, reduce the temperature to low and cook stock stock for 45 minutes. Then let the pressure release naturally, open lid, and strain ingredients.
