Making Proper Chicken Stock
A good stock is the foundation of almost everything else in the kitchen. It is not about fancy ingredients, but about patience and temperature control.
The clarity comes from stillness.
Your goal is to extract flavor and gelatin without agitation. Keep the heat low enough that you see only an occasional bubble breaking the surface.
- 8-quart stockpot
- fine-mesh strainer
- ladle
- cheesecloth
What goes in.
- 4 lbchicken backs, wings, or feet
- 2large yellow onions, quartered
- 3carrots, roughly chopped
- 3celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 headgarlic, halved crosswise
- 1 tspblack peppercorns
- 2bay leaves
- 4 qtcold filtered water
Avoid the rolling boil
If the water boils, the fat will emulsify and cloud your stock permanently. Adjust your flame so the surface is merely trembling.
The method.
Brown the chicken
Place the chicken parts in the dry pot over medium-high heat. Let them develop a light golden color for 10 minutes. This adds depth and color.
Add water and aromatics
Pour in the cold water. Add the vegetables and aromatics. Bring the liquid to a very slow simmer—just a few bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds.
Skim the surface
As the stock begins to heat, a gray foam will rise to the top. Use a ladle to skim this off and discard it to keep the final product clean.
Simmer
Let the pot sit on the lowest burner setting for 4 hours. Do not stir it.
Strain
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and line it with cheesecloth. Carefully pour the stock through, discarding the solids. Cool immediately in an ice bath.
Other turns to take.
Roasted Stock
Roast the chicken parts and vegetables at 400°F (200°C) until deep brown before adding to the water for a darker, deeper flavor.
Herb-Forward
Add a bundle of fresh parsley stems and thyme sprigs during the final 30 minutes of simmering.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always start with cold water to help extract proteins slowly.
Do not salt your stock while it is simmering; salt it only when you eventually use it in a finished dish.
If you have a layer of fat on top after cooling, leave it as a seal to help the stock stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my stock cloudy?
You likely let the water boil too vigorously, which breaks the fat into the liquid. It will still taste fine, but it will lose its clarity.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Pour cooled stock into containers, leaving an inch of space at the top to allow for expansion.
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