Optimum Chicken Reduction Recipe?

[mudbug]

I searched and didn't come up with anything unless I'm not looking in the right places.

Looking for recipes for a traditional "Chicken Reduction". My best guess is that it is a decent recipe for homemade chicken stock reduced by 2/3. Not sure what a "dark" chicken reduction is though.

Any recipes, thoughts, insights would be appreciated.

[zilla369]

I could be wrong (and often am!) but where I work, a "dark" chicken stock is made from chicken/chicken bones and vegetables (mirepoix) that have been caramelized in the oven, thereby imparting the "dark" color. Also, it utilizes "dark" meat such as thighs and legs.

Any help?

[MobyP]

No - nothing to do with dark meat. Just roasted or unroasted bones. Although it's usually called blond or brown. So a blond veal stock is one where the bones are unroasted. A brown veal stock usually entails roasting - though Keller has his stock somewhere in between, by adding tomato paste to unroasted bones, his stock still comes out with darker colours.

[PassionateChefsDie]

As mentioned above this is done by roasting, chicken wings(And use to come free off the butcher in the trade) make a good one just a little bit cloudy the knack is to caremelize not burn the bones and veg. If whilst roasting them they are going too quickly keep them turning and add a good glug of water as you dont want to impart any bitterness.

For what ever amount of bones you want about third Mirepoix(For the 1's that don't know, Carrots, Leeks, Celery and Onions) if its brown stock you can use the onions with the skin as they will impart a little colour and no flavour. Keep the veg reasonably large as you want the veg and bones to brown at the same time. When they've coloured as much as you dare, take everything out of the tray and place in a pan don't forget to deglace that pan with water getting rid off any fat. Top up with water just a little bit more over the top of the bones and veg. Add a little tomato puree to modify the colour not too much its purely for colour. This can be placed on the bones to roast, it will get a little bit of colour but add towards the end of roasting. Now simmer until the flavour is right if it's reducing add a little bit more water as you go along. I will taste my stock taking it off when its got the flavour I want.

For white the same amounts except no onion skin or tomato puree, you can also use flavourings i.e. thyme, parsley stalks maybe a bay leaf, just a little its for depth not flavour. This time its softened in the pan adding the bones last and just setting the protien on the carcasses. Once again simmer until the flavour is right.

From the opening on this thread you want to take it down, this is done by reducing but after its been strained so get the flavour a little lighter than you want in the finished stock before reducing.

Hope this helps

Stef

[snowangel]

Search no further than the three part ECI course on Stocks and Stock Making. Once you've read this one, click on the link by day 2 listed at the top of the course for the basics on simmering. From day 2, you can click on the link to the course on straining defatting and reducing.

[mudbug]

Thanks to those who posted for your insights.

snowangel,

That's what I was looking for. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

I should point out for others that "the link to the course on straining defatting and reducing" is Unit 3, located at the very bottom of Unit 2, Day 2.