Visit: “Chicken Stock”

A long long time ago, I created a picture tutorial on how to make chicken stock. Back then, I didn’t even have a stock pot and made my stock in a roasting pan!

Since my last post was a video on how to cut up a chicken, I thought the logical thing to do would be to show you what to do with all the chicken scraps that you are left with after you get all the meaty bits off.

In the video, I go through the process twice. I wanted to show some of the range of possibilities in stock making. One batch is very dark, not super clear, very heavy on the vegetables, deeply flavoured, and seasoned, having been made with what was left from brined and roasted carcasses. This batch was also made in a pot on the stove. The other batch in the video is light, is almost consommé clear, made with fresh raw carcasses, contains no vegetables, and is made in a crock pot. I wanted to show that chicken stock can be made in a variety of ways, but that what you do to it affects the final result.

Different styles of chicken stock are best suited for different applications. For example, when I want to make asian inspired soups, or realy robust dishes, like chili, for example, I would probably want to make a more robust, darker chicken stock for it. When making lightly flavoured dishes, like a simple chicken noodle soup, I would opt for a lighter, milder stock.

This is the second video that I have made. I am still working out some sound issues and learning to edit, so bear with me, these first videos will be a little rough around the edges!

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You’ve heard it before and you are about to hear it again. Homemade chicken stock is FAR better than canned or boxed. It is fresher and more flavourful, and making it yourself gives you unlimited options as to the flavours and consistency your stock possesses. Every home cook should have stock at hand at all times, and ideally, that stock is homemade. Not only does it taste better and provide you with more options, but there are serious health benefits that come with consuming well made stock. I touch on some of that while explaining the recipe in this article.

Making homemade chicken stock is easy. It does take time, but it is very little work. I never measure the ingredients when making it, as there is no need. For the purposes of this post I will be describing specific amounts, but this is only to be used as a VERY rough guide. Feel free to alter (within reason) the amounts of vegetables and chicken scraps as you desire. The stock will be fantastic regardless. Also keep in mind that vegetables are not even needed. I like my stock to have the added flavour of vegetables, but others might enjoy a more pure chicken flavour. That is perfectly fine! Play with it! Find what works best for you! This recipe is just a good starting point for those who have never made it before and are curious about the process.

Your results will probably vary due to many factors, but this recipe left me with a little over two liters (quarts) of rich flavourful chicken stock.

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