Have you ever had soup or grains or sauces made with real chicken stock or broth? Not the stuff that comes in a cube or a box or a can. No, I’m talking about refrigerated stock that’s so thick you could cut it with a knife and mistake it for Jello. Or a broth so light and chickeny and sublime in its flavor, you’d think you were eating at a restaunt.
This is beautiful stuff that a ten-year-old could make. It is also nutritious and far more economical (and much tastier) than the chemical cocktails that you’ll find at most stores. Never made it before? Worry not. It’s as easy as making tea. And now is the perfect time to try it; nothing chases away Old Man Winter with such aplomb. Today we’ll do broth. You don’t have to babysit it. It takes about 30 minutes and needs only 4 ingredients. And it’s splendid.
Make rice with your chicken broth to upgrade the flavor.
Firstly, the difference between stock and broth:
Chicken broth uses more of the meat. It has a lighter taste than stock, won’t gel as much (or at all) and takes about a half an hour to make.
Chicken stock is what you make primarily from the bones. If you want to make an all-purpose brown stock, you can throw in turkey bones, too. I’ve added leftover pork chop bones and even roasted bison, beef or veal bones. The bigger the animal, the darker the stock, and the meatier the flavor.
This isn’t going to be a tutorial on how to make a beautiful demi-glace or a perfect classically French stock. No, we’re going to walk into the kitchen, put some things in the pot and worry not about whether the Top Chef judges are looking.
The Faster Way – Chicken Broth
(Subscribers, this is a variation on the Chinese chicken broth I sent you a few weeks back. You keep it simmering rather than turning the heat off.)
You’ll need:
Water. Filtered delivers a nice taste, but don’t stress out over it.
1 uncooked high-quality chicken (pastured, organic or kosher, depending on your budget)
A small brown onion cut in half. You don’t have to peel it, but do cut it into quarters.
If you’d like some added sweetness, a carrot. Cutting it helps release more flavor more quickly.
Bubble, bubble, boil and trouble...What a delicious witch's brew.
Here’s how we do this:
If you’re feeling truly industrious, cut the chicken into pieces – the smaller the better, bones and all. (You’ll need a cleaver and mallet if you start to really hack it up, and you’ll also need to strain the broth really well later to make sure you don’t choke on any little tiny chicken bones.) The smaller the pieces, the more intense the flavor of your broth will be. But it’s ok just to plunk the thing in whole; it’ll still taste fine.
1) Put the chicken and vegetable(s) in a large pot. I like stainless steel. Gets the heat going quickly.
2) Cover everything with water.
3) Do NOT add salt: we’ll add it later to control the flavor.
4) Bring it to almost to a boil. You don’t want it rollicking violently, as that cooks the chicken too quickly and makes it tough. We want a rapid simmer: little bubbles every few seconds.
5) Keep it at a simmer and let it go for 30 minutes, uncovered.
6) You might see some “scum” rising to the surface. Just proteins. Skim them if you’d like. They’ll cloud the color of your broth if you don’t, but I haven’t noticed a big taste difference.
7) After half an hour, use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the chicken from the broth. When the meat has cooled enough, start shredding the chicken from the bones. This shredded meat is quite moist and tastes great in soup or in salads. Just remember to salt it.
If there are a lot of chicken bones or pieces left in the broth, you’ll want to strain the broth. Some people line their strainers with cheesecloth to make cleanup easier. I use a clean, old T-shirt. The eminent Michael Ruhlman suggest buying a set of white hankies and using those to cut down on waste.
9) You’re done!
Want soup?
At this point, you can either chop up some vegetables or throw in some frozen ones to make a vegetable soup.
Add the shredded chicken back in towards the end so that it doesn’t overcook. Remember to add salt or, if you’re making something like a chicken version of Vietnamese Pho, soy sauce.
Add diced (canned, at this point in the season) tomatoes, plus chile powder and a bit of ground cumin to turn the above into tortilla soup. Top with shredded cheese such as cotija or queso fresco or Monterey Jack, diced avocado if you live in Cali or Florida, and tortilla strips.
Alternatively, you can use this broth to cook grains such as rice or quinoa; it’ll add a glorious flavor. And broccoli cooked in chicken broth or stock, by the way, is heavenly.
Next time: Chicken Stock! You’re such a pro, baby.
I’m happily submitting this to REAL FOOD WEDNESDAY, generously hosted today over at KELLY THE KITCHEN KOP. Go there for more great recipes. :)
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