M e a t - S t o c k

Chicken   Stock


Today is the first day of winter, it is a cold morning, but the sun is shining, it is a good start for the new season.  I have so much caught up to do.  In May, I planned to cook consomme and other fine foods, but they did not work out. I decided to do chicken stock today, the smell of my kitchen is so fragrant with the fresh herbs, the aromatic vegetables and the freshness of clear broth that is cooking away.  So far, it is so good.

Sharing the recipe, the preparation and the cooking of the chicken stock.

 The Bouquet Garni for the Chicken Stock

3.  place the other green leek on top
to enclose, tie with a string

4.  tie the bouquet garni

with more string

1.  thyme, sage, rosemary
and green leak

2.  place the herbs on

one of the green leeks 

Organise the bouquet garni first before preparing the rest of the aromatic -vegetables: carrots, celery and the leeks and cleaning the chicken.

Preparation and The Cooking                                                           

whole chicken, two bay leaves are added, onion,

and aromatic vegetables-leek, carrots and celery

place the chicken in a stockpot, add in onion,

the aromatic vegetables and add in water to cover

 the chicken stock is simmering away

skimming the fat/froth from the stock

adding the bouquet garni after skimming the fat/froth

keep a bowl of water close by the stock pot

rest and immerse the skimming spoon in it.

Above pictures are the first part of cooking the chicken stock.

The second part:
After cooking for one hour and a half, let it cool.  Take the meat out off the chicken.
Place the bones back to the broth, and continue cooking for one and a half hours over low heat.
Strain the stock with a fine strainer. The stock is ready for whatever you want to do.
Place the stock in containers,  keep in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for 2 months.

Straining The Stock

use a fine-meshed strainer to strain the stock

the chicken stock

Skim and discard the fat before using the stock for further cooking.  It is easier when it is kept overnight in the refrigerator.


The Re ci pe:

Chicken Stock

1 whole chicken no 16

Aromatic vegetables

2 carrots

3 pieces stem of celery
3 small pieces of leek

1 large onion
1 pinch of salt

The Bouquet Garni

Thyme, sage and rosemary
2 pieces of leek’s leave to wrap the herbs

Method

1. Wash and clean the chicken, trim the fat and some of the thick skin
2. Place it in a large stockpot, and cover with the water.
3. Add in the carrots, celery, leek pieces, onion and salt.
4. Cook it over a hot stove and bring it to simmer, uncovered
5. When it is simmering away, skim the froth; clean it out place in a bowl of water.
6. Now add in the bouquet garni, keep on cooking at the same heat, covered, for one hour.
7. Lower the heat and cook for another half hour.
8. Leave it cold; take the meat off the chicken. (Use it for sandwich filling or others)
9. Put all the chicken bones back to the pot, and boil-cook in a lower heat for 1 hour and a half.     
10. When it is cold, strain the stock with a fine strainer. 
11. Keep in sealed containers; freeze them up to two months or in a fridge up to three days.

Give the recipe a try, you will have fun, as I did.

Now I have stock for the bases of other cooking.  Next time I will do chicken consomme from this stock.  It is going to be another process of food, and it is fun.

Happy Cooking
Susy