Chicken Stock

Something that I normal have in the Kitchen Pantry either in my home kitchen or in the Restaurant Pantry, something that everyone should have in their pantry. Like Chicken Stock. I’m not referring to the stuff purchased at the local supermarket that come in a can, box, or Jar; not even Bouillon cubes! I’m not saying that I don’t use them, especially when cooking for an Army. Ok I admit that I use them at home, when I’m in a pinch, even though using water would be better. The store bought Chicken Flavoring is loaded with salt, and I prefer to have the control over how much salt is in my cooking. Some of it has MSG in them it enhance that flavor. I do not like MSG whatever name it goes by on the ingredient label. There are only two item that I know of that has MSG naturally accruing init Soy Sauce and Fish Sauce. I use these two Sauces to add Umami (the fifth taste).

Chicken stock is very simple to make. All that you really need is water and chicken bones. Here in Iraq I get some chicken quarter that are previously cooked, we usually pull the chicken off the bones to use. So have quite a bit of chicken bone, I place them into the freezer until later. Here is a little secret it’s what I would call a dirty little secret. When you have to cook a lot of bone in chicken or Cornish game hens on the Bbq there is a problem: the outside is over cook and it is raw inside. So what I do is braise the Cornish Game Hens in water. To do this place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water, place on stove top and cook on medium , do not let the water get hotter than a simmer, or the meat will be tough. Cook until the Chicken is almost done, you should see some pink under the wing. Remove from heat. Don’t worry if you over cook the chicken, the meat will start to fall apart, but instead of having halved Cornish Game Hens, the wing, leg, thigh, and breast will separate, the convictive tissue has melted away. Cook on the Bbq. There you have just made a chicken base next I place the frozen chicken bone in a clean pot then cover them with the Chicken Base. So I cook mine in a fifteen gallon pot, I place about 25-30 pounds of chicken bones. I cover the bones with the Chicken Base till it is two to three inches above the bones, and then cook on very low heat for about 24 hours. I then strain the chicken stock and place in sallow pans in the freeze until they are needed.

To make the Stock even better you can add some aromatic vegetables. You would usually add this before it is strained. You would add what is called Mirepoix [MEER-pwah] a mixture of Onions, Carrots, and Celery. For Chicken Stock you want to use about 1 pound of Mirepoix thats: 8ounces of Onion, 4 ounces of Carrots and 4 ounces of celery to two pounds of chicken bones. Or if you have strained the stock you would add a pound of Mirepoix for Every half-gallon of Chicken stock. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour. Another thing that you can add to your Chicken stock to enhance the flavor you can add: bay leaf, black peppercorns, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, garlic cloves and tomato paste.

Chicken Stock

2 pounds Chicken bones Raw or roasted Chicken Bone
3 pounds Water
1 pound Mirepoix
8ounces Onions, chopped
4 ounces Carrots, chopped
4 ounces Celery, chopped
1 Bay leaf
1 teaspoon black pepper, cracked
2 stems Thyme
2 stems Parsley
3 Garlic Cloves
2 tablespoons Tomato paste

Place Chicken bones in 8 quart pot cover with water just covering the bones. Cook on high bring to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to low. You want to see steam come off the pot, but the water should not come to a low boil. Cook for 4 hours. Skimming the scum off the top, throughout the cooking time. Then add the remaining ingredients and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain through cheese cloth. Use immediately or cool off by placing in ice water bath or bring to room temp before placing in refrigerator.