Tasty Tin Basic Chicken Stock
Tasty Tin Basic Chicken Stock
Tasty Tin
7 quarts
30 minutes
4 hours
6427
Soup
Homemade chicken stock is one of the most valuable things you can keep in your kitchen. Once you have a pot of homemade stock ready to go, cooking becomes much easier. It’s the base for soups like Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup, hearty winter stews, and countless everyday dishes.
Years ago my daughter and I filmed ourselves making chicken stock together using a method in inspired by Ina Garten, but the recipe below reflects how I actually make stock (not technically broth) today in my kitchen.
If you want to learn more about the difference between stock and broth and how they shape the flavor of soups and stews, take a look at my blog Soups and Stews for Winter Cooking, where I dive deeper into the topic.
Ingredients
10 to 12 pounds chicken backs, necks, and wing tips
5 to 7 ½ pounds chicken pieces with meat (2 whole chickens or a mix of thighs, legs, and wings)
4 large onions, (2 sweet, 2 yellow), unpeeled cut in half
4-6 carrots, whatever you have on hand, roughly chopped
4-6 celery stalks with leaves, roughly chopped
1 leek, cleaned well and roughly chopped
3 heads garlic, halved crosswise
2 tbsp minced garlic
small handful dried mushrooms or mushroom stems (just enough to add body and umami)
10 fresh thyme sprigs
10 fresh dill sprigs
5 fresh sage leaves
5 bay leaves
3 tbsp whole black peppercorns
3 tbsp kosher salt
4 tbsp of coarse sea salt
1 to 2 lemons, halved
enough water to fully cover the ingredients (usually about 7–8 quarts)
Directions
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Place the chicken bones and chicken pieces into a large stockpot (about a 20-quart pot works well).
Add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic, herbs, mushrooms, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and lemons.
Pour in enough water to fully cover the ingredients by several inches.
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Place the pot over medium heat and slowly bring it to a gentle simmer. Avoid a hard boil—stock develops better flavor when it cooks slowly.
As the stock begins to heat, skim off any foam that rises to the top.
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Reduce the heat and allow the stock to simmer gently for 3 to 4 hours.
During this time the bones release collagen and the vegetables slowly infuse the liquid with flavor.
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Carefully strain the stock through a colander into a large container. For a clearer stock, strain again through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
Discard the solids.
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Allow the stock to chill completely in the refrigerator. As it cools, the fat will rise and harden on the surface. Skim this layer off before using the stock or packaging it for the freezer.
When properly made, the stock will often become gelatinous when chilled. This is a good sign—it means collagen was successfully extracted from the bones.
Once reheated, it will return to liquid form.