I am slowly starting to feel better. I would have loved some homemade soup during the week while I was so sick, but unfortunately didn’t have the energy to make any. The Mister pulled through with Campbell’s Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese sandwiches during my misery, which was almost as good since I didn’t have to cook or clean a thing.
I try to roast chickens regularly. One chicken easily feeds our family of four, and more often than not provides leftovers I then toss in a big salad for the next night’s dinner. I save the carcass/bones to make chicken stock, which I store in the freezer for other meals. If you’ve never made chicken stock, I suggest you give it a whirl. It is very simple to make and takes almost no supervision while it sits on the stove for hours. Plus, it makes the house smell yummy.
You don’t have to roast your own chicken, either. You can use one of the pre-roasted chickens you can buy at store near the checkout counter if you come home too late to roast your own bird. Just be careful when selecting the flavor of a bird you will later use for stock. “Chipotle-Orange Roasted Chicken” may taste good off the bone, but it makes an odd flavored stock.
I never have the energy to make chicken stock after cooking dinner, but buy all means go for it if you are so inclined. I prefer to place the carcass is a freezer zip-bag and toss it in the big-chill until I’m ready. I had two waiting for me in the freezer today, so I decided today would be a fine day to teach Mikey how to make chicken stock.
You will need:
- Chicken, whole bird or whole bird carcass
- Carrots, 3-6 whole
- Celery, 3-6 with leaves
- Onions, 1-2 whole
- Garlic, 1 head
- Herbs (I use thyme, parsley, and bay leaves)
- Salt, 1-2 TB
- Peppercorns, 1-2 tsp.
- The biggest pot you have
- Water to cover
Start off by tossing all your chicken bones in a big pot. Then roughly, and I do mean roughly, cut up all your vegetables.
At this point you can go ahead and add your salt and pepper. Be generous with the salt. Mikey likes to pinch and sprinkle like the chefs do on T.V., but his little fingers can’t pinch nearly enough to season the stock. I let him do that for a while, and then toss in a healthy tablespoon or two of salt while he is busy opening the peppercorn jar.
I fill his palm with peppercorns, which is about a couple of teaspoons, and let him toss it into the pot.
At this point you can turn on the stove to medium-low (depending on your burner) and let it simmer for four hours or so. If y ou get what looks like foam, skim it off with a ladle and toss it. Other than that, you’re done. Send off any little ones who have helped you to play. The rest is boring, and transferring the hot stock to containers when it’s done isn’t safe for clumsy hands.
It will reduce quite a bit in the pot, and that’s fine. Usually it’s about an inch and hour. When it smells and looks good and rich (about 4 hours) take it off the heat and strain the stock into a new container. Because I made so much stock (12 cups!) I had to strain it into another large pot and then transfer it to canning jars. Normally, I would just strain it into a large glass bowl.
Allow it to come to room temperature on the counter, then refrigerate it overnight, and the next morning skim off all the fat and impurities on top. See how my stock looks a little murky? That’s because it’s right out of the pot. Tomorrow, after I skim the top, it will be nice and clear. Store the stock in freezer safe container in whatever unit of measure you prefer. I like 1-2 cups, which is about the amount I use for any recipe. The stock should keep in your freezer for about 3 months.
This week I plan on using this stock to make a family favorite around here–Chicken Tortilla Soup.
My aunt used to make the best chicken soup with her home made chicken stock. I absolutely loved her soup and have tried to make it by using store bought stock but it never tastes the same, obviously. I’m going to use your recipe this week to try and make my soup taste more like hers. She’s been gone for 10 years now, there are so many recipes of hers that I miss…
Yum!
See.. you are already homeschooling : ) and glad you feel better. Food has always been the first medicine I go for.
Now, I have made a great stock from leftover corncobs and pea husks (is that right?) Not the peas, but the wrapper.
Do you have a pressure cooker? If you do, hours are turned into minutes.
BTW, all my guys are back to school today! Healthy is wonderful.
Yum! I think you will have to leave (or email me :) ) the recipe to the chicken tortilla soup now! I am glad you are feeling better!
Mmmmm, looks more like caldo with the big veggies! I just might need to try that! :)
Oh I love chicken tortilla soup. I’ll be over for dinner one night this week!
Gotta love that Jewish penicillin! I also add (if I go shopping specifically for it) a couple of parsnips and I cannot explain sufficiently how much flavor it adds to the stock. DEEElicious.
Anyhoo, glad you’re feeling better. If we lived closer I would’ve popped over with some homemade soup WHILE you were sick.
Jen, funny you mention parsnips. I HATE parsnips, but nearly every recipe I’ve ever seen for stock contains them. Since I never have them, I never add them. I’ll have to buy some the next time I make stock, especially since they’ll be in season soon.
I’m sure your soup is beyond yummy. :)
Looks sooooo yummy and easy. I’ve never thought to try making my own and just assumed it was too much work. Now I will have to….and we def. need the tortilla soup recipe!
I’m SO glad you and your family are on the mend – chicken soup makes everything better, don’t you think? Wish I coulda come out there and made some for you last week! Rachel….tilesmile maker
I cannot tell you how happy I am to have seen this. I’ve always bombed on making chicken stock and now I know why. If you were my neighbor, I would ask for a jar of your stock to be my Christmas gift, it looks sooooooooo good.
I’m trying this at home. Thank you!