Classic Golden Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- About 1 kg/2.2lbs of chicken carcasses (about 2 roast chickens, meat removed so only bones and skin remain ) *see note 1
- 2 yellow onions, unpeeled, root end trimmed and cut in quarters *see note 2
- 2 celery stalks, cut in pieces
- 1 carrot, scrubbed clean, stem end trimmed, and cut in pieces
- 1 head garlic, root end trimmed to expose cloves
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar *see note 3
- a small bunch of fresh parsley (about 5-7 sprigs)
- a small bunch of fresh thyme (about 8-10 sprigs)
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2-4 whole cloves (optional)
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, or large pasta pot with a straining insert. Cover with 12 cups of cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, until reduced by 1/3, about 3 hours.
- Strain the stock by carefully pouring it through a colander into a large bowl, or strain by lifting out the insert if you used a pasta pot. Discard the solids. Allow to cool, then chill the broth overnight. Chilling will cause the fat to rise to the surface and solidify. Scrape the hardened fat off the surface and discard. Adjust salt to taste. Use immediately, or store in jars in the fridge for up to 5 days. Chicken stock can also be frozen in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Notes
Note 1 - Chicken carcasses: This is the bones, skin and cartilage of a chicken after most of the meat has been removed. You can use a whole chicken or chicken pieces, but this will result in a fattier and cloudier stock. Using the bones of roasted chicken provides the right balance of bone, fat and meat that produces a flavourful stock packed with collagen and nutrients. Typically two chicken carcasses with skin is enough to make a delicious stock.
Note 2 - Onions: Yellow, unpeeled, onions are used in this recipe to add a golden colour to the stock.
Note 3 - Apple Cider Vinegar: This ingredient is added to the stock to help extract the minerals from the bones, resulting in a more nutritious both, and to break down the connective tissue, which releases more collagen and results in a richer texture. The flavour of the vinegar isn’t noticeable in the final stock.
Note 4 - Stock Consistency: When the finished stock is chilled, it becomes a semi-solid, jelly-like consistency due to the high gelatine and collagen content. If your cold stock is very jiggly, that’s a good sign. It means you extracted gelatine and collagen properly. The gelatine and collagen give the stock a luxurious mouthfeel, which you won’t get from commercial chicken broth, which is why I think making homemade chicken broth is well worth the effort. Once heated, the stock will return to a liquid state.