Homemade chicken stock

Homemade chicken stock

This is a base recipe for a brown chicken stock – endlessly versatile and ready to add bags of flavours to sauces, stews and all manner of other dishes. If you’re after a lighter white stock, skip the roasting and frying in steps 1-3 and simmer everything gently in water.

Homemade chicken stock

Try it in this nourishing turmeric chicken noodle soup with chard.

  • Serves icon Makes 500ml
  • Time icon Hands-on time 15 min. Simmering time 4 hours, plus oven time 40 min

This is a base recipe for a brown chicken stock – endlessly versatile and ready to add bags of flavours to sauces, stews and all manner of other dishes. If you’re after a lighter white stock, skip the roasting and frying in steps 1-3 and simmer everything gently in water.

Try it in this nourishing turmeric chicken noodle soup with chard.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
42kcals
Fat
4.2g (trace saturated)
Carbohydrates
0.6g (0.6g sugars)

Ingredients

  • 1 raw chicken carcass, plus any wing tips/trimmings/bones if you have them
  • Splash vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 1 celery stick, sliced
  • 1 bouquet garni (bayleaf, parsley and thyme sprigs tied with kitchen string or in a muslin bag)
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • Any saved up veg peelings or trimmings (optional)
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Method

  1. Heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. While you wait, break up the chicken carcass into pieces (be careful of sharp bones) and put on an oven tray along with any other bones or trimmings you have. Put in the oven and roast for 40 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, put a large stockpot or saucepan over a low heat and add the oil, followed by the sliced vegetables. Cook, stirring often, until they are soft and caramelised (about the same time it’ll take to roast the chicken).
  3. Put the roasted carcass and bones in the pan with the vegetables, leaving behind any rendered fat in the tray. Discard the liquid fat in the tray, but add a splash of water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the dark caramelised bits stuck to the bottom (putting the tray over a medium heat will help dislodge these further if it’s hobsafe). Pour this liquid into the pan.
  4. Fill the pan with cold water – around 3 litres – then turn up the heat to medium-high to bring it to the boil. Once boiling, turn it down to a gentle simmer and use a ladle or serving spoon to skim off any foam or fat which rises to the surface. Once it’s looking clear and no more fat or foam appears, add the bouquet garni, peppercorns and veg peelings or trimmings (if you have them).
  5. Simmer over a very low heat, uncovered, for 4 hours, checking in on it every now and again to see if any more skimming is needed. Over this time it will reduce down into a concentrated stock. Carefully strain the stock through a large sieve into a smaller saucepan or bowl, then give it a final check and skim for fat. Leave to cool, then transfer to a container and keep in the fridge or freezer.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
42kcals
Fat
4.2g (trace saturated)
Carbohydrates
0.6g (0.6g sugars)

delicious. tips

  1. Variations…
    This master stock will work with anything, but here are a few ideas to tweak it for particular dishes or cuisines:

    Vietnamese-inspired: make a white stock, then return it to the pan with 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 fresh chilli sliced open, 2 bashed garlic cloves, a few slices of ginger, 1 bashed lemongrass stick and a handful of coriander stalks. Simmer for 30 minutes, strain, then season with a dash of fish sauce and soy sauce.

    Chinese-inspired: make a white stock, then return to the pan with a few slices of ginger, 2 roughly chopped spring onions, 2 dried red chillies, ½ tsp sichuan peppercorns and 1 star anise. Simmer for 30 minutes, strain, then season with a dash of soy sauce.

    Umami-boost: make a brown stock, but add 30g dried mushrooms and a sheet of kombu seaweed after the water has come to the boil and you’ve skimmed away any scum. Add a halved fresh tomato for the final 30 minutes before straining.

    Booze-infused: make a brown stock but add 300-500ml red wine, port or marsala before you add the water. Simmer until reduced by half, then top up with cold water to cover and continue as normal. Woody herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage plus a pinch of juniper berries are a great addition too.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

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