Monday, February 3, 2014

Chicken Broth

I know this is a really old-timey skill and many of you won't think its worth it to make your own from scratch but I think its important, tasty and well, every dollar counts so here is my favorite recipe for homemade chicken broth. I have a friend from church who once said chicken soup made with this broth was the best he's ever eaten and that not only will it cure the common cold, it could raise the dead. Enjoy.

2 pounds chicken scraps, including some bones (see note at bottom)
Cold water to cover (at lease 2 quarts)
1 large onion, peeled and stuck with 3 or 4 cloves
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 ribs celery, halved crosswise, with leaves if available
1 or two carrots, cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
2 or more parsley springs OR 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon tarragon (trust me on this)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon dillweed
Salt, if desired, to taste
12 peppercorns OR 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Place all the ingredients in a large pot with a cover. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer the stock for at least 1 hour. The longer the stock cooks, the richer it will become. But don't cook it until the broth evaporates.
2. Pour the stock through a fine strainer, sieve, or cheesecloth into a fat-separating measuring cup, bowl, or other suitable container. Press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
3. If using a fat skimmer, decant the fat-free broth into containers for storage. Otherwise, refrigerate the broth until the fat hardens enough for easy removal. (Depending on the amount of gelatinous protein in the chicken scraps, the broth may gel at refrigerator temperatures.)

CQ Notes:

If you want your broth super clear, Pour the broth through a paper coffee filter after you pour it through the strainer. This will catch even the small particles.

Chicken scraps, you ask? Any chicken can be used. If chicken thighs are on sale, use them. Back in the day the most economical way to buy chicken was to buy a whole bird but like most families, there were pieces that the family wasn't fond of like the wings or back pieces. Many of us would collect those pieces and freeze them until we had enough to make stock. Waste not want not. Today I suggest that you can also use the leftovers of a rotisserie chicken. Any bones and little scrapes of meat go into the pot and go on from there.

You may ask "what am I going to do with all that broth"? Well, soup is the obvious answer but I also freeze some of the stock in ice cube trays so that I have small amounts available to use say in a stir-fry. This is a great way to add flavor without adding fat to a dish. I also freeze stock in 1 cup containers for small dinner additions like say a chicken fricassee and in quart containers to be used in soups and stew.

Chicken stock/broth from scratch is basically free. You use what you've already got and hand and the resulting tasty stock can then be used to create yet another meal. Please consider trying this.

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