Chicken stock--and more
Nothing new for those that are frequenters to the Festival of Frugality, but I thought I would pass it along anyway…
I try to cook as much as possible on the weekend to make it easier on my wife during the week. One kitchen staple we have started to do ourselves is chicken stock. Yeah, we can buy it in the store, but it usually has a ton of sodium and never rises above OK. A friend gave us the recipe from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions, and we’ve been hooked ever since. I’ll spend 10 minutes on Saturday getting it started, then 20 minutes on Sunday to finish it and we have a very rich and flavorful stock for use all week.
So paraphrasing from the recipe: Cut a chicken into as many parts as possible (add additional gizzards if you’re so inclined). Chop one onion, two carrots, and 3 celery stalks. Currently, I also chop up one fennel bulb since fennel assists in nursing. Place in stock pot along with chicken parts. Cover with 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil (skim the foam), cover, and reduce heat. Simmer—the book calls for anywhere between 6 and 24 hours, but I recommend a minimum of 20 hours to make a rich stock. 10 minutes before the end, add one parsley bunch to the stock.
Strain the stock into a storage container (you’ll probably have around 3 quarts if you have simmered for 24 hours). What you do with the solids is up to you. I save the vegetables and as much of the chicken as I can salvage, disposing of the parsley, chicken bones and gizzards. After the stock is refrigerated for a while, you can easily skim the fat off the top.
We use it during the week for many things that call for stock (like risottos), and even use it to make a very flavorful rice (substitute for water). For the vegetables, I’ll make one cup of rice (with water) and add the reserved vegetables, one chopped up chicken piece, and chicken stock to make a hearty vegetable & rice soup.
So the total cost is usually around $8 and 30 minutes. Definitely not a bargain if you simply compare to store-bought stocks, but it is world’s better for you, tastier, and there are additional things you can do with the ‘remains’ that make it more than worthwhile. Needless to say, this is also great for people that are sick—a cup of stock gives them a lot of nutrition while avoiding solid foods.
I try to cook as much as possible on the weekend to make it easier on my wife during the week. One kitchen staple we have started to do ourselves is chicken stock. Yeah, we can buy it in the store, but it usually has a ton of sodium and never rises above OK. A friend gave us the recipe from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions, and we’ve been hooked ever since. I’ll spend 10 minutes on Saturday getting it started, then 20 minutes on Sunday to finish it and we have a very rich and flavorful stock for use all week.
So paraphrasing from the recipe: Cut a chicken into as many parts as possible (add additional gizzards if you’re so inclined). Chop one onion, two carrots, and 3 celery stalks. Currently, I also chop up one fennel bulb since fennel assists in nursing. Place in stock pot along with chicken parts. Cover with 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil (skim the foam), cover, and reduce heat. Simmer—the book calls for anywhere between 6 and 24 hours, but I recommend a minimum of 20 hours to make a rich stock. 10 minutes before the end, add one parsley bunch to the stock.
Strain the stock into a storage container (you’ll probably have around 3 quarts if you have simmered for 24 hours). What you do with the solids is up to you. I save the vegetables and as much of the chicken as I can salvage, disposing of the parsley, chicken bones and gizzards. After the stock is refrigerated for a while, you can easily skim the fat off the top.
We use it during the week for many things that call for stock (like risottos), and even use it to make a very flavorful rice (substitute for water). For the vegetables, I’ll make one cup of rice (with water) and add the reserved vegetables, one chopped up chicken piece, and chicken stock to make a hearty vegetable & rice soup.
So the total cost is usually around $8 and 30 minutes. Definitely not a bargain if you simply compare to store-bought stocks, but it is world’s better for you, tastier, and there are additional things you can do with the ‘remains’ that make it more than worthwhile. Needless to say, this is also great for people that are sick—a cup of stock gives them a lot of nutrition while avoiding solid foods.
posted by Dwight at
8:40 AM
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