Stock is really easy to make, and if you are pressed for time, the Crock-Pot is a great simmering alternative. I like to simmer mine on the stove when I am home all day, but it is not necessary.
To me, the key to great stock is roasting the bones and simmering for a long time. I personally don't like to salt my stock until I use it in a recipe. That way I don't get things too salty. You can adjust the seasoning to suit your own taste, but I keep mine pretty bland. Basically I season the meat with salt and pepper, and roast until a deep golden brown. Don't skip this step, as you will want a rich, meaty flavor to your stock. Then I add water, onions, celery and garlic and simmer for a few hours. I had this going all morning, but if you can only simmer for an hour, you will be pleased. If you are pressed for time, put it in the Crock Pot while you are out, and you will come home to freshly made stock!
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| Place raw chicken in an oven proof pot. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a 400 degree oven for about 1 hour. |
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| When your chicken is nice and golden brown, remove from the oven. |
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| Add onion, celery and garlic. If you are really adventurous, throw in some herbs such as thyme and rosemary. |
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| Fill the pot with water ... |
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| Allow to simmer... |
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| And simmer some more. I let this simmer a little too long... |
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| Strain out all of the solids, and this is what is left. Mine is super concentrated, so I will likely add water to fill the container. I will also let it chill and remove the top layer of fat.
Today, I roasted chicken backs, but you could also use necks, wings, thighs, legs or even bone in breasts. The great part of using pieces with more meat, is you then have cooked chicken for another use. My family really likes dark meat, so when chicken quarters go on sale, I stock the freezer. When I get home, I separate the legs and thighs and cut the backbone out. I promise it is really simple, and for $0.39 a pound, I will put a little effort into it. Initially I threw out the backs, until I discovered they make great stock. I collect all the backs and put them into a gallon freezer bag and toss them in the freezer until I am ready to make stock. Needless to say, after yesterday's shopping trip, I needed to free up some room in my freezer.
Using the chicken backs that would have otherwise been wasted, I would say I have about $1.00 in this batch of stock.
Homemade stock is so delicious! Once I have removed the fat, I will put this in ice cube trays and freeze it. Then once they are solid, I will empty them into a gallon freezer bag and place them back in the freezer. Each cube is about 1/4 a cup of stock. It is really handy to have available in the freezer!
Chicken Stock
2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (dark meat is preferred)
1 large or 2 small onions, quartered
4 stalks of celery
8 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
Liberally season chicken with salt and pepper and place in an ovenproof pot. Roast uncovered in a 400 degree oven until the chicken is a golden brown. The darker the better. About an hour to an hour and a half.
Remove from the oven and add onions, celery, garlic and cover with water. Simmer over medium heat about 2 hours.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Strain solids from stock. Refrigerate stock and remove the top layer of fat. Enjoy your homemade stock!
Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!
Sarah
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