Chicken Stock
A chicken carcass simmered for 3 hours with onion, carrot, celery and bay into a clear, golden stock. Eight servings of a ladle in 3 hours 10 minutes.
Making Chicken Stock Ahead
Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it in tubs for up to 3 months.
Making Chicken Stock
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Put the carcass in a large pot with the water and bring slowly to a simmer. Skim off the scum.
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Add the onion, carrots, celery, bay and peppercorns and simmer gently for 3 hours.
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Strain through a sieve, cool and skim off the fat. Keep in the fridge.
Worth Knowing
- Start with cold water.
- Keep it just below a boil.
- Do not salt until you use it.
- Skim the fat once cold.
Some Background
Stock is mostly time. A roast chicken carcass, a few vegetables and a pot of water are all you need, and three hours turn them into something no cube can copy.
Put the bones in cold water. Cold water draws out the proteins slowly, so they rise as a scum you can skim off, and the stock stays clear. Hot water sets them in the liquid and clouds it.
Keep it just below a boil. A rolling boil churns the fat and the scum through the liquid and makes it murky. You want a few lazy bubbles breaking the surface.
Add the vegetables, bay and peppercorns, and leave out the salt, which you add later to whatever you cook with the stock. If your hob runs hot, check the heat at 30 minutes. Strain, cool and skim the fat from the top. A chicken wing or two added to the pot makes the stock richer, because the skin and joints are full of gelatine.
Serving Ideas
Chicken soup · Risotto · Gravy · Noodle soup
Questions About Chicken Stock
How long does Chicken Stock take to make?
About 3 hours 10 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 3 hours of cooking. The recipe serves 8.
What are the key tips for making Chicken Stock?
Start with cold water. Keep it just below a boil. Do not salt until you use it. Skim the fat once cold.
What should I serve with Chicken Stock?
Chicken soup; Risotto; Gravy; Noodle soup.
Can Chicken Stock be made ahead or frozen?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it in tubs for up to 3 months.
Is Chicken Stock suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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