How do i make my own chicken stock?

Aarons_mummy

Hi everyone,

Firstly can I just say how much time I'm spending reading all the information from this board, it's made me realise I can do things at home so easily and save a fotune so thankyou :T

Anyway in my attempt to do better I managed to get a chicken reduced from £5 to £2.50 and it's a decent size. I threw some chives, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice and oil over it and it smells DELISH!

What I want to do though is make a chicken stock from the carcass. . . maybe too enthusiastic for someone like me but however, I read the chinese and takeaway secret threads (I'm getting the book for valentines ) and I want to make the chicken and sweetcorn soup and thought I may be able to make my own stock.

So how do I do it? What do I need to be able to do it? How much roughly can I expect from it? Do you think that someone who can cook a little will be able to do it?

I did do a search but I can only find recipies that include HM stock rather than how to actually do it.

Any help would be great, thankyou

Penelope_Penguin

Aarons_mummy wrote: »

Do you think that someone who can cook a little will be able to do it?

I did do a search but I can only find recipies that include HM stock rather than how to actually do it.

Course you can :j Thread with all the answers is here (I'll merge this later).

meritaten

but in the meantime - throw the chicken carcass in the biggest pot you have! then put in some onion - I use one large one and only take off the outer skin, some scrubbed carrots cut into large chunks, some celery cut into chunks if I have any and will also include a couple of fresh bay leaves (I grow my own but one or two dried is ok) and If I dont have any fresh herbs will chuck in a tablespoon of mixed dried herbs. a teaspoon of salt (but if you want to do it without thats fine) and about a teaspoon of fresh ground pepper (use half if using the finely ground pepper). then cover the carcass and veg with water and bring to the boil. turn it down to simmer and cover. I leave mine for at least six hours and strain it. thats your home made chicken stock!

nodwah

Don't suppose you have a slow cooker? - that makes the best stock for me, just bung whatever you want to put in, fill up with water from a recently boiled kettle and cook on low overnight (smell makes you hungry in the morning tho!)

Bronnie

You don't need to add anything else if you don't want, gives a purer taste stock, especially for the soup you mentioned. Keeping it quick and simple makes me more likely to do it! Slow cooker method is good or do it on the hob.

Cover the carcass with water, (break it up if it's easier). Bring to the boil on the hob and simmer for an hour and a half minimum. If you give it a good press as it cooks, you'll extract more of the flavour.

Strain through a sieve and leave to cool, when it may go jelly-like.....which is good!

Scrape off any fat that might have come to the top if you want to.

Can be frozen.

Aarons_mummy

Nodwah, yes I do have one, these boards influenced me to get one it's pretty small though, the argos value one that was half price.

I made the stck yesterday, it was looking a lot like chicken stock which I presume is a good thing? Popped it in the fridge but not home right now so haven't checked on it today.

I'm rather excited that I've made my own chicken stock. Do you think I'd be able to use it for chinese chicken and sweetcaorn soup, I know it sounds like a ridiculous question but since I seen the recipe I've been dying to make it I love it and it'll save me money and mean I can have it more often yippee!

Thanks for your help everyone

TRYINGTOSWIM

been wondering about this too. chicken for lunch tomorrow so I am also going to make stock..;)

TRYINGTOSWIM

ok someone shoot me but when we have chicken I simply cut most of the meat off and chuck the carcass and probably a fair bit of meat too.

I know I should be making stock, but am a bit clueless (totally clueless)

I know I should put the carcass in slow cooker,should I chop it up first? or can I just put it in?
do I add veg? onion,carrot,celery.
then what?
how long does it take? how can you tell its done?

a stupid question but do I then strain it to get rid of the bones?
I assume this is then stock? which I can freeze, but how do I turn this into soup?
got a huge chicken tomorrow and I want to make stock for chicken soup Monday.
any help appreciated..

destroyerofdebt2011

break up the bones, this helps release the flavours salvage any extra meat from the carcass u missed first time round u can use this for your soup later.
couple of bits Celary, a couple of carrots and an onion chunky cut will be suficent to help flavour your stock plus u can add bayleaves and other herbs if u want.
Just enough water to cover

Couple of hours on a low simmer to create your stock, by all means taste at this point if u are happy with the strength drain of the bones and discarded veg.

you can now cool it and freeze it in relevant portion sizes or add the left over meat u salvaged earlier and any veg etc to make your home made soup or stew, the choices are endless.

I did know a lady who swore blind using her chicken stock as the base of her minestrone soup dispite her OH saying he would never eat chickhen he always loved her soup.

meritaten

good advice above! but you dont HAVE to use a slow cooker! a large saucepan is perfectly fine! dont worry about veg either - if you do have an onion to hand - great! so is carrot celery or most Root veg. I just take off the first papery layer of the onion then cut it in four and chuck it in. you can use salt and pepper or not season it if you are on low sodium diet. I do like to chuck in a bay leaf but its not essential. what is essential is to bring the water up to boil and then skim off any scum (greyish foamy bits), turn down to a simmer and put the LID on! you can leave it for hours, minimum of four for me - strain and you have home made chicken stock! I let mine cool then put in freezer bags and freeze. but it will keep in fridge for a good week! if you want a more concentrated stock, then after its had a few hours strain it and bring it to the boil and let it boil for a while until its reduced in the pan and the flavour is more pronounced.