This is just a quick post for my eye-rolling friends and relatives in retort to all their snide comments about the fact that I use homemade stock for most of my soups.
If you haven’t been following along, I will repeat what is, by now, obvious: I delight in making food from garbage. Chicken bones from a roast chicken are — to my mind — garbage.
I do not buy new chicken to make stock. That seems almost insane. That you would make stock from a fresh chicken and discard or overcook the chicken in the name of stock… Insane.
So, it goes without saying that I am not a stock purist. Am not. If you are, please move away from the computer now, as you will be horrified by both my materials and technique.
This is akin to my approach to composting. No effort with satisfactory results. Not clear consume. But good, bold flavor.
All you need is freezer space.
Here’s what you do:
Every time you eat a roast chicken — or any chicken with bones — you save the bones, the meat clinging to the bones, and any skin you might have and store it in a freezer bag in the freezer (also throw in any from the plate of a stubborn child). When the bag is full, and you have no more room, you make stock. I use big 2 1/2 gallon freezer bags to store. Then I make the broth in one of those big steamer/roaster ovens. Mine is Hamilton Beach I think. (The same thing I use for my pulled pork.)
Anyway. The bonus in using that apparatus, aside from the size and the ability to cook lots of chicken bone garbage, is the fact that you can cook it outside.
I love the aroma of chicken broth simmering — for about 2 hours. After that it starts to make me sick. Too much for too long. But maybe that’s just me?
So anyway, I put the roaster outside and cook away! For hours! I cook it low and slow. I don’t worry about it boiling and clouding… I check the water level every now and then, push things around with some tongs. And really, it turns out just fine. You should try it.
Add bones to the pot.
Add a couple bay leaves, salt and pepper and whatever questionable vegetables you have laying around in your crisper drawer. Ideally carrot, celery and onion.
Cover bones with cold, fresh water. Cover and turn roaster to 300 until it boils then turn it down to the temperature that keeps it at a nice simmer — which for me varies, depending on whether it is -15 below (like it was on this day) or 70 degrees outside. Alternately, bring to boil on stove, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook until it tastes good.
Cool broth and strain the solids. I like to let the broth cool to scrape off the fat easily.
Then, measure the amount you want to freeze (I do 3-4 cups in quart sized bags or 6-8 cups in a gallon bags) into ziplock bags and freeze flat.
Fresh homemade stock from something that you would normally throw away! So easy!
Maria Camargo says
Cant do this recipe at home, I eat the bones clean!
CaptianMal says
What about bones from bbq chicken? Should I make ’em suck all the sauce off the bones?
Cheryl says
I also love to make my own chicken stock. I think I will try your method of saving the carcasses in the freezer and making a huge batch at once, sounds more efficient than the way I do it. I save the fat for extra flavor in soups and hot dishes, I’ve even substituted chicken fat for shortening when making biscuits – YUM.
admin says
oooh. That sounds good. I, myself, am a bacon fat girl! How do you usually make it? Just in a small batch with one meal leftover bones?
Jami says
Well, if you guys run out of freezer space you can always can the broth in big, beautiful glass jars to put in your pantry.
It requires a pressure canner but that’s not a big deal at all.
Good for a year.
Oh CaptainMal, that’s hilarious!
admin says
pressure canners sound scary.
Jami says
well, bread making sounded scary before I found your blog.
so there.
maybe you will inspire me to record some instructions and send them along. 🙂 Not today, I’m trying to master fluffy tortillas with bubbles – the ones I made yesterday were a little thick/dense for my taste. I’m sure if I bothered to read a book about baking bread I’d know just the solution. It’s just so fun to jump in and try it once I’ve seen a good recipe or video!
Carol says
I like to make stock from the denuded turkey carcass whenever I roast a turkey. In fact, I also make stock before roasting the bird (for the purpose of making gravy and stuffing). This first stock is made from stray vegetables and the neck, giblets, and a package of turkey parts (wings are good, or legs). And, as do you, I freeze any stock that I will not need to use immediately. Homemade stock is a wonderful thing, and no one should fault us for making it! 😉
admin says
thanks Carol! But nothing will stop my friends and family from their heckling. Nothing. (and I will just refrain from serving them my stock!)