Haven't tried this, but looks like a fast easy way to make homemade brothhttp://www.recipegirl.com/2010/03/04/how-to-make-rich-and-flavorful-chicken-stock/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRecipeGirl+%28The+Recipe+Girl%29
Rich Chicken Broth
- Thread starter lorijean
- Start date
melissa-dallas
Well-known member
When I simmer a chicken to use in something I cook it until just done, cool the meat
then throw all the bones & skin, etc. back in the pot of broth and continue simmering for several hours.
then throw all the bones & skin, etc. back in the pot of broth and continue simmering for several hours.
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
There's a faster way, and it produces an excellent broth. Edna Lewis...
...wrote about "sweating" chicken pieces to produce the same results of long, slow cooking in about an hour.
Cook's Illustrated picked up on her method and wrote about it in their article on quick chicken soup.
I've used this method many, many times. It does work well!
Chicken Broth
Makes about 2 quarts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and reserved for another use; remaining chicken separated into serving pieces and each piece cut into 2-inch sections
2 quarts boiling water
Salt
2 bay leaves
1. Heat oil in large soup kettle. When the oil shimmers, add onions and sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.
Add half of chicken pieces; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces.
Return onions and chicken pieces to kettle. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
Increase heat to high; add boiling water, 2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken pieces are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove chicken pieces from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to handle, separate skin, meat, and bones; reserve meat for another use and discard skin and bones. Strain broth; discard contents of strainer and skim fat from broth. (Broth can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 3 months.)
...wrote about "sweating" chicken pieces to produce the same results of long, slow cooking in about an hour.
Cook's Illustrated picked up on her method and wrote about it in their article on quick chicken soup.
I've used this method many, many times. It does work well!
Chicken Broth
Makes about 2 quarts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and reserved for another use; remaining chicken separated into serving pieces and each piece cut into 2-inch sections
2 quarts boiling water
Salt
2 bay leaves
1. Heat oil in large soup kettle. When the oil shimmers, add onions and sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.
Add half of chicken pieces; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces.
Return onions and chicken pieces to kettle. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
Increase heat to high; add boiling water, 2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken pieces are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove chicken pieces from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to handle, separate skin, meat, and bones; reserve meat for another use and discard skin and bones. Strain broth; discard contents of strainer and skim fat from broth. (Broth can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 3 months.)
Hmm, will have to try this. You could also take those chicken pieces and :
Fry them up, so then you would have good broth AND fried chicken from one bird.
I think one of the reasons the broth gets so rich flavored in this recipe is that after removing the breasts from say a 4 lb chicken you still have a pound and and a half of chicken per quart to flavor the broth/stock. I guess if you used a 5lb + chicken you would get even richer broth. Last weekend I fried chicken and all I could find at the store were 4.75 and up to almost 5.5lb (or so) chickens and they were big!
Fry them up, so then you would have good broth AND fried chicken from one bird.
I think one of the reasons the broth gets so rich flavored in this recipe is that after removing the breasts from say a 4 lb chicken you still have a pound and and a half of chicken per quart to flavor the broth/stock. I guess if you used a 5lb + chicken you would get even richer broth. Last weekend I fried chicken and all I could find at the store were 4.75 and up to almost 5.5lb (or so) chickens and they were big!
interesting how many commenters recommended saving the fat. I usually toss it, but
I think using it to saute onions for a pot of beans or whatever is really a good idea. why not instead of butter? oil is probably healthier, but a bit of the chicken fat would add some nice flavor.
I think using it to saute onions for a pot of beans or whatever is really a good idea. why not instead of butter? oil is probably healthier, but a bit of the chicken fat would add some nice flavor.
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
The technique of sweating the chicken pieces causes a huge loss of flavor...
...in the chicken pieces themselves. You can use the meat, but it is practically tasteless at this point.
The reason Cook's has you remove the breast meat is they use one recipe of this broth as a base for chicken soup and then add the breast back in, cooking it in the broth for only a few minutes so it doesn't get tough.
The chicken soup has veggies added, along with the breast meat.
The broth you get from this recipe is a wonderful golden-brown and it is very close to my long-simmered version.
Sweating is the key.... the chicken, not your brow!
Michael
...in the chicken pieces themselves. You can use the meat, but it is practically tasteless at this point.
The reason Cook's has you remove the breast meat is they use one recipe of this broth as a base for chicken soup and then add the breast back in, cooking it in the broth for only a few minutes so it doesn't get tough.
The chicken soup has veggies added, along with the breast meat.
The broth you get from this recipe is a wonderful golden-brown and it is very close to my long-simmered version.
Sweating is the key.... the chicken, not your brow!
Michael
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I also make this recipe with a large tray of leg quarters (about 4 lbs.). It also works well.
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
Rendered chicken fat freezes very well. I keep a container of it in my freezer......
...and add more fat to it when I have some to save.
It can be used straight from the freezer, and you can "chunk" as much or as little as you need from the frozen block, and return it immediately to the freezer.
A little chicken fat in fried potatoes is excellent!
Michael
...and add more fat to it when I have some to save.
It can be used straight from the freezer, and you can "chunk" as much or as little as you need from the frozen block, and return it immediately to the freezer.
A little chicken fat in fried potatoes is excellent!
Michael
melissa-dallas
Well-known member
I freeze broth in pint containers & leave the fat on because it protects it from
getting freezer burn. It is easy to scrape off the top when the broth in the container is still frozen.
getting freezer burn. It is easy to scrape off the top when the broth in the container is still frozen.
steve2-in-la
Well-known member
Always keep a container of "schmaltz" in the freezer. Adds incomparable flavor to chicken soups, >
chopped liver, matzoh balls, risottos and anything that needs a "bit" more flavor. Really spruces up the flavor of canned broths as well.
It's also remarkably effective as a "marital aid" but I s'pose that tidibit would best be reserved for a different forum. Oy.
chopped liver, matzoh balls, risottos and anything that needs a "bit" more flavor. Really spruces up the flavor of canned broths as well.
It's also remarkably effective as a "marital aid" but I s'pose that tidibit would best be reserved for a different forum. Oy.
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I thought I was the only one who put a little behind each ear...
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
The hardest part is cutting the chicken pieces up into 2" sections. I use a heavy cleaver.
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
And a few chickies too (wink wink)
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I'm really only concerned with one chickie...
...and she loves me even when I'm wearing nothing at all!
Michael
...and she loves me even when I'm wearing nothing at all!
Michael
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
When I do the 12-hour simmer, I use two whole chickens and get about...
...4 quarts of good stock for soup.
The meat is pretty much tasteless at that point. The dark meat has some tenderness to it, but the white meat is like sawdust.
There's no getting around having to use a bunch of meat for making good stock, IMO. The same is true for beef stock. You need meat. Roasted bones and veggies gives a watery, calcified mess, IMO. Unless there is meat on those bones, your stock is gonna taste bad.
Just me,
Michael
...4 quarts of good stock for soup.
The meat is pretty much tasteless at that point. The dark meat has some tenderness to it, but the white meat is like sawdust.
There's no getting around having to use a bunch of meat for making good stock, IMO. The same is true for beef stock. You need meat. Roasted bones and veggies gives a watery, calcified mess, IMO. Unless there is meat on those bones, your stock is gonna taste bad.
Just me,
Michael