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Original poster

OK someone talk me through making my own chicken stock...

35 replies

Gillian76 · 03/12/2006 22:34

Roast chicken today. Have removed enough meat for a chow mein tomorrow. I want to make stock for some soup.

Having stripped most of the meat, what do I do now?

OP posts:
whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 03/12/2006 22:39

throw the carcass in a pot, fling in a couple of carrots (or one big one) and three or four celery sticks, an onion, some garlic cloves, couple of bay leaves, some peppercorns and leave to bubble gently for maybe an hour. if you have any parsley in the hourse chop off the stalks and put that in too.

when you drain it, make sure that you don't pour the stock down the plughole and keep the carcass, as i did on one phenomenally irritating occasion.

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 03/12/2006 22:40

oh yeah, you'll need water in there too.

JinglePrunes · 03/12/2006 22:43

Mushroom stalks are good and the odd parmesan rind makes it very delicious without being cheesy.

prufrock · 03/12/2006 22:44

Put chicken carcass in a pan just big enough to hold it snugly. Add an onion, bay leaves, carrot (just one - othertwise your stock will taste very carrotty) celery, leeks, garlic, flat leaf parsley, thyme. and anything else you have lurking in your veg drawer. If you are missing any of above it really doesn't matter. Cover with water, bring to the boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours. Skim any scum off top. Strain.

I also tend to put all the juices/fat from my roasting tin into the pan - if you haven't already washed it up.

SaintGeorge · 03/12/2006 22:44

If you want to colour the stock (saves using gravy browning) stick some onion skins in too.

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 03/12/2006 22:53

i'm so lazy i just don't peel the onions or garlic...
and i disagree strongly about the cheese rind, unless you are going to be making a risotto or something parmesany with the stock. so there...

Original poster
Gillian76 · 03/12/2006 22:54

Haven't washed it yest but it's all gungey!

What about the skin? Do I have to get rid of all of that?

OP posts:
Original poster
Gillian76 · 03/12/2006 22:54

Can't use cheese anyway as DD2 is allergic to milk

OP posts:
SaintGeorge · 03/12/2006 22:59

No, throw it all in. You are going to strain all the bits out afterwards.

Original poster
Gillian76 · 03/12/2006 23:01

OK. Project for the morning! How much stock will I get do you think? It's a medium-large chicken.

OP posts:
prufrock · 03/12/2006 23:02

No - leave skin in definatly. If the pan is gungy then just put some boiling water in and scrub with a wooden spoon to get all the dried up juices off the bottom, then stick it in the stock pan. You will get more fat, but you can always take that of once the stock has cooled, and it's worth it for the juices

PeachesMcLean · 03/12/2006 23:06

Key for me is to let it cool after straining, then scrape off the top layer of fat when it's solid. When I didn't do that, I ended up with really greasy chicken soup.

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 03/12/2006 23:07

it really depends how far you boil is down and how strong it is. the amount isn't really important in that respect. i would get enough for one family-sized risotto or a big pot of soup that i would have to add a spoon or so of marigold bouillon to as well.

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 03/12/2006 23:07

agree with peaches, stick it in the fridge and the fat is easy to scrape off.

Original poster
Gillian76 · 03/12/2006 23:14

Thanks

OP posts:
PeachesMcLean · 03/12/2006 23:21

I usually end up adding a stock cube with soup but I haven't tried the marigold bouillion. What does that do for it? I'm a bit obssessed with the Telma (telma??) kosha chicken stock cubes which I can only find in Sainsbury's (and make a special trip in there for) but they're so much better than Oxo or Knorr.... They do actually taste of chicken.

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 03/12/2006 23:32

it's just veggie stock, peaches. will check out your stock cube tip.

JinglePrunes · 03/12/2006 23:37

nononono
parmesan has the most naturally-occurring MSG of any food
total umami hit
try it aitch, you won't notice any cheese flavour just very deep rich taste

bettythebauble · 03/12/2006 23:46

Marigold buillion has lactose in, for those of an 'intolerant' disposition...

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 03/12/2006 23:50

i keep all my parmie heels for risottos and minestrone soup... so i suppose i could try it when i know i'm making minestrone. it sounds very, very wrong though. i always think i can taste the cheese, that's why i put it in. am i imagining it?

Original poster
Gillian76 · 04/12/2006 00:09

Thankfully we are OK with lactose. It's the milk proteins she can't tolerate.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gillian76 · 04/12/2006 10:58

OK it's been bubbling for 1.5 hours now. No scum

I used peppercorns, bay leaf, carrot and onions. Also the gunk from the roasting tin.

OP posts:
indigNativity · 04/12/2006 11:05

For a nice deep colour, (provided the carass is in a casserole dish) - and less smell - put the lid on and leave it in the oven for several hours - I leave mine in overnight - on very low

DingDongDraculaOnHigh · 04/12/2006 11:06

if you have a pressure cooker you can make it in 15 mins

whensantagotstuckupAITCHimney · 04/12/2006 11:15

(i never get scum either, Gillian [fhhm]... or maybe our scum tolerance is higher?) i don't tend to boil stock for much longer than an hour... with other meat bones it can get a bit gluey after too long.