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So, today I want to try and persuade you to make chicken stock. Turkey carcasses make excellent stock, too.
This one I’m making is a nice, neutral stock you can use later for anything. All it contains is chicken bones, an inch of ginger and two spring onions (scallions).
This one I’m making is a nice, neutral stock you can use later for anything. All it contains is chicken bones, an inch of ginger and two spring onions (scallions).
I’ve noticed a rise in bullshit when it comes to stocks. All the ‘tools’ and specialty items you need to make one. It’s crap. You need a big pot, bones and water. At its simplest, it’s meat water. Western stock uses onions, carrots & celery. Asian stock uses ginger & scallions.
But honestly - just bones and water and heat and time. Everything else you can add later, when you need to flavour it.
If you make too much stock, you can always boil it down after straining it so it takes up less space in your freezer, and add extra water when you use it.
If you make too much stock, you can always boil it down after straining it so it takes up less space in your freezer, and add extra water when you use it.
I am distressed to see that a lot of supermarkets don’t offer chicken carcasses anymore. But Halal butchers always have them. Or you can order them online.
And all that stuff about being careful not to boil it, or that you have to skim it to perfection… fuck all that. Roasting the bones first? Meh.
Don’t let all these fetishists put you off. It’s easy.
How long? I go 5-6 hours on low simmer for chicken. 12-14 for beef.
Don’t let all these fetishists put you off. It’s easy.
How long? I go 5-6 hours on low simmer for chicken. 12-14 for beef.
Just keep going until it tastes really ‘chickeny’ or ‘beefy’.
Store it in small quantities - maybe a cup or two. You can always use a couple, but once you thaw a big container of stock, you need to use it… so.
I store mine in zip bags. All lined up in a container till frozen
Store it in small quantities - maybe a cup or two. You can always use a couple, but once you thaw a big container of stock, you need to use it… so.
I store mine in zip bags. All lined up in a container till frozen
One little trick I use is that I don’t salt my broths while I’m making them. That means I can boil them down to a really rich concentrate. Some people find it hard to taste for ‘chickenyness’ if there’s no salt. So get a spoonful, sprinkle a little salt onto it and taste then.
Oh, and if you buy rotisserie chicken, just save everything you don’t eat, pick the meat off, plonk the rest in a pot with some onion and cover with water. It makes super good stock in an hour.
Why yes… I do take the leg bones off people’s plates.
Why yes… I do take the leg bones off people’s plates.
So… make stock. It will make you happy. It’s like getting something for almost nothing.
There are a lot of hungry people in the world right now. It seems wasteful to throw away things that could feed them.
There are a lot of hungry people in the world right now. It seems wasteful to throw away things that could feed them.
