Tweaking Chicken Stock : For those looking to improve theirs

[Dave the Cook]

I was dubious of the onion skin thing, too. But apparently, the pigments are water-soluble. The peel from one onion turned about a quart of water a pale tea color in a short period of time.

[Fantastic Mr Fox]

I was dubious of the onion skin thing, too. But apparently, the pigments are water-soluble. The peel from one onion turned about a quart of water a pale tea color in a short period of time.

But why would one do that? Just for the coloring?

[Dave the Cook]

I guess. I neither recommend nor discourage the practice. I'm just saying it works.

Personally, I don't do it. All that goes in my chicken stock is chicken, water and salt.

[AAQuesada]

What are your standards for Quality?

I usually judge a stock by:Color, Clarity, Flavor, Aroma, gelatin content (for meat stocks). Like Paul mentioned traditionally a stock in the French style is meant to be neutral so that it takes on the flavor or what ever you use it with.

I use a lot of bones + Chicken feet + stewing hen (usually a 'retired' laying hen)

Covered barely with cold water. Salt. Bring up to a bare simmer (180-190).

Skim regularly (scum NOT fat)

top off with cold water as needed to keep covered.

Add Mirepoix @4 hours 1:1:1:1 Leek, Onion, Celery root, carrot

Add a Fat Bouquet Garnie @5 hours: Thyme, parsly stems, 2 bay leaves tied in leek green.

Carefully, strain and cool.De-fat the next day. Reserve fat for cooking.

* If you really want to you can add a whole head of garlic halved, or a Tablespoon of soy. Also you can reduce stock by a 1/4 the next day.

* Save bones and make remoulage. Re cook bones/feet as a base for your next stock.

[chris-s]

When I buy a chicken, I remove the legs & breasts for main meals. The carcass is chopped and roasted with the skin, the feet, celery, onion & carrot chunks till it's all got some colour.

Then into the stockpot, just cover with water, add a bayleaf or two & simmer for a number of hours on the lowest flame with the lid half open.

Skim at first, then just leave it alone.

When cooked, I strain it into a bowl through a colander and then back into the cleaned stockpot through an old gold mesh coffee filter to remove the very fine particulate matter. I allow it to reduce to around half a litre and when quite cold, it goes in the fridge where it forms a firm jelly.

Very good as a French style stock for use with everything from meat to fish to shellfish and when a dark coloured stock is called for I simply colour it in the dish with a dribble of dark soy sauce

[Wonderkitchen]

I feel like a purist reading this thread. First, let me say that this topic has filled volumes, and without a more specific directive as to what you are looking for, it's really impossible to 'improve' on a stock that is'nt defined by purpose or type. I believe that's why this thread has become so unwieldy.

That being said, I would follow AAQuesada's post for basics in terms of how to judge a stock. I always make my stock ( white or brown ) as pure as possible, as you can always infuse other flavors later. I want my stock to taste like Chicken, so I don't mix Beef or other poultry. For bright I use whole organic Capons without the breasts, for dark stock I use backs and necks baked.

A few points. I think there are basically two types of stock - bright or rich, and there are many techniques to get there. I've written a little about this and provided examples at

www.thewonderkitchen.com in a tutorial called 'Deep Chicken Stock'.

My technique is to formulate a remoulage and use this in a circular fashion with my stock making, so I always have 3 - 4 different strength stocks in the freezer. Maybe overkill for some, but it certainly provides the flexibility I need.

I hope it helps.

[Tom Gengo]

My technique is to formulate a remoulage and use this in a circular fashion with my stock making, so I always have 3 - 4 different strength stocks in the freezer. Maybe overkill for some, but it certainly provides the flexibility I need.

I hope it helps.

I also start w/ a remouillage (Fr. 'rewetting') which is a weaker 2ndary stock that is made from the trimmings that have released most of their flavor and gelatin.

During the course of my cooking I have a 2 gal. ziplock to which I add chicken parts (gizzards, hearts, necks, wing tips & backs from spatchcocked chix.) I drop them in a pot (5 gal.) if making a large amount, usually just a 12 qt and supplement w/ well rinsed chix backs from the local grocery store to fill the pot. I add my remouillage & slowly bring up to a staccato bubble (in music stacatto are distinct notes that are seperated from each other) with the pot offset on the burner. AFter the stock has simmered for at least an hour with several sweeps of a fine mesh strainer to clear the coagulated proteins (scum) I then add quartered whole onions (skin on a la earlier discussions), chunks of carrots and celery, whole peppercons (about 2 tbsps for a 12 quart prep.) and simmer for about 3-4 hours. Strain and you have a highly flavored chicken jelly when cooled.

(I have on occasian only filled the water about 3/4 the height of the chickens for a more concentrated stock. It makes skimming more difficult at the beginning, but after some time the chicken backs "breakdown" and sink below the surface of the liquid, at which time I skim and add my veggies and seasonings and proceed as above here.)

AFter straining the primary chicken stock I repeat the procedure sans skimming with additional water, veggies and herbs to create the aforementioned remouillage for future primary stock preps.

Also, I keep on hand a 10-15x concentrated stock on hand by gently simmering it down to a very thick, darkly colored, gelatin rich gel. A crock pot is the perfect equipment for this task, but may take up to 2 days. On the rare occasion where my fond is too dark I will clean the pan, place over med high heat and boil several Tbsps of the concentrated stock until dry for a faux fond and then resume the sauce making w/ deglazing the pan. Makes a very flavorful sauce. And the concentrated stock will boost a sauces viscosity and flavor by just adding a Tbsp. with the liquid. Also, it can be used to boost the flavor of a stock rather than using a chicken bouillion cube.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Tom Gengo (log)