Chicken Stock

I remember growing up and watching Ina Garten (our queen) constantly tell us that homemade stock is better than store bought. I’d always think “how much better could it be? Is it really worth all of that work?” Short answer: it’s a lot better and it’s completely worth the work (which, spoiler alert, isn’t actually much work at all).

Chicken stock is one of those recipes that’s actually really simple to make, it just takes some time to simmer on the stove and develop flavor. All you need is a window of a few hours when you’re home to intermittently check on it but the stovetop really does all the work.

Stock is the first thing we learned how to make in culinary school because it’s such a foundational element to recipes — from sauces, to soups, to braises, to stews. We would start each class by making a batch of stock for our recipes that week so I’ve made a looot of stock in my day. I remember being mind-blown by some of the tips and tricks we learned about it in school and I’m excited to share with you!

This recipe is fool proof and I include a ton of tips for you in the notes section below. I hope you learn something new and try this recipe!

Makes ~3.5 quarts of stock.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 lbs chicken bones (mixture of carcasses, necks and backs)*

• 1 lb chicken feet*

• 1 lb yellow onion, quartered (skin can be left on)

• 1/2 lb carrots, cut into large chunks (no need to peel)

• 1/2 lb celery, cut into large chunks

• 1 head garlic, cut in half across the equator (skin can be left on)

• 2 sprigs parsley

• 2 sprigs thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp whole peppercorns

METHOD

1. Rinse all of the bones and chicken feet very well under cold water. Add the rinsed bones to a large stock pot and just barely cover the bones with cold* water.

2. Bring the bones up to a simmer and skim off all of the grey-ish scum that rises to the top.

3. Once you’ve skimmed off all of the scum, add in the vegetables, herbs, tomato paste and peppercorns. Simmer very low (you’re looking for a few bubbles every few seconds*) for 3 1/2 - 4 hours, making sure to continue skimming any scum off of the top of the mixture.

4. Strain using a sieve and pour into quart containers or large mason jars, allowing the stock cool completely before transferring to the refrigerator.

5. Once the stock has completely cooled in the refrigerator, it will have become very gelatinous from all of the collagen in the bones. The fat will have risen and solidified on the top. Use a spoon to remove and discard the layer of fat on the top of the stock.

6. Store in the refrigerator for about a week or in the freezer for months.

NOTES

• The right mix of bones: It’s important to use a mixture of meaty bones and chicken feet. The meaty bones will give the stock both flavor and body and the chicken feet are really rich in collagen so they will give the stock a ton of body and viscosity.

• Why cover the bones with cold water? Starting the bones submerged in cold water before bringing the mixture up to a simmer draws more of that scum out of the chicken that you will end up skimming off the surface once it reached a simmer. This will ultimately result in a clear, pure broth.

• Add enough eater to barely cover the bones to get the richest possible broth. More water = more diluted stock that won’t be optimally rich in flavor.

• Skimming the scum: It’s very important to “skim, skim, skim” as our chef instructor would always tell us in culinary school. You want to get as much of that scum out of the stock as possible to ensure you end up with a clear, pure stock.

• Low simmer, not boil: You are looking for a very low simmer when making stock. This means a few bubbles every few seconds. If the stock is simmering rapidly or boiling, the fat will emulsify into the stock and you will end up with a cloudy end product. If you have trouble getting your burner to go that low, you can create a barrier between your stock pot and the stove with a cast iron skillet to diffuse the heat.

• Do not salt your stock: I like to control the amount of salt in my dishes. By not salting your broth, you allow yourself the opportunity to control the salt in the dish you end up making with the stock. If you start out with a salty stock, your end dish may be too salty.

• The difference between stock and broth: Stock is more bone-heavy, resulting in a more viscous, gelatinous end product. It’s typically used more in cooking. Broth has more actual meat in the mixture, which results in a richer flavor, making it more optimal to sip.