Home made chicken stock

helen-in-hants

I have a chicken carcass to boil up and make stock for future use. I just wondered how long you should boil the bones for and what to add to the water?
thanks

comping_cat

I would cover carcass in water, add an onion, carrot, bay leaf and seasoning, bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer for about 2 hours, then strain. You could add any other veg lying around, its personal choice and taste sometimes!!!
HTH
Catherine x

Pooky

I shove mine in the slow cooker with all the bits of veg I save especially for stock...all the tops of carrots, ends of celery, tops and bottoms of onions, and parsnip peelings. I keep a pot in the freezer just for these bits and when I need to make a stock I bung them in....they all get strained out at the end but add a lot of flavour. I normally cover with water and shove on low over night or if using my stockpot then I tend to bring to the boil and then turn to the lowest heat for anywhere between 2-6 hours.

Strain through a colander, pick out any meat that you want to keep and you'll have a great tasting stock. If I have time and a spare bottle of wine handy I will sometimes (and I repeat sometimes, cos lets face it who has a spare bottle of wine!!) add the wine and reduce the stock..makes a handy base for sauces etc.

spingers

Hello Helen,
I simply boil the bones for as long as I can stand the house stinking of boiling chicken carcasses (normally just over an hour) in 1500ml of water for an average sized chicken (about a kilo). This leaves me a delicous stock which I use over the next few days for risottos and stuff. And don't throw that chicken jelly away, it is pure, essence of chicken.
When I am feeling extra flush I may put a pinch of chili in it.
My Nan used to put Nan type measurements in;
some celery
some carrots
some onions
some pepper
I've never understood why you would want to put perfectly good vegetables into the stock that ends up tasting perfectly good without them. re: not putting veg in, that post above is a great idea, I'll get my coat
As you can may tell, I am pretty much self taught cook, I have no reference books and I enjoy my food immensely perhaps too much;-).
Experiment and enjoy and if you get really stuck ring someone born before 1930, they normally have a wealth of knowledge.

Rikki

If you have a pressure cooker its very quick.
I put the carcass in and cover with about 3 pints of cold water.Bring up to pressure and time for twenty minute, then turn off the heat and release the steam slowly.

arkonite_babe

Helen this old thread may be of some interest to you......
Using chicken carcasses for soup?

Ideas and thoughts on using chicken carcass for soups and stock.

HTH

ias76

I plan to have a roast chicken on sunday and want to make a stock from the bones.

Not too sure how to do it, advice welcome...

beachbeth

Its quite simple really. You need the biggest cooking pot that you have and place the carcass in it. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Whilst it is heating up add 1 carrot peeled and sliced and 2 celery sticks sliced, 1 onion choped, a few black peppercorns, salt, 2 bayleaves and sprigs of thyme if you have them. Cover the pan and keep simmering for 2 hours. Skim off any scum that forms on the top. After the two hours strain everything out of the stock.

thriftlady_2

I do this too, but I don't bother chopping and slicing the veg. I also leave the nice clean layer of brown skin on the onion as it makes the stock a nice golden colour.

susank

I love to leave the skin on the onion for the colour too and I dont put in a whole carrot - just the tops and the bottoms - prefer to keep the other bit for the soup after the stock has cooked. Any tops from parsnips and swede peel and potato peelings too = clean of course. These all add to the flavour - I am sure you will be delighted with it.

thriftlady_2

Leeks, if you have them are good too;)