Steak Salad
Chicken Stock | Jus of Life
First of all, let’s set the mood. Let’s pretend you were lucky enough to get to spend the night at my house. It was a rough night, because there are only bean bags in the extra bedroom. Your neck is not feeling so good. You meander down the stairs, and it hits you. This huge aroma that is unmistakable. You continue down the stairs and into the kitchen. You realize that I had put on a huge stock pot filled with all of the things that make up comfort in a bowl. The thought of what that will be turned into starts to revolve in your mind. Chicken Noodle Soup, Paprikas, Chicken Jus for chicken dishes of all sorts, and other soups of all types. There is nothing more amazing than walking through a house filled with the smell of chicken stock cooking. Suddenly your neck starts to hurt a little less.
Chicken Stock is one of the basics, and is so essential. The definition of simple. This thing of beauty consists of eight simple and easy to find ingredients. I could go on and on about how "blah" store bought versions are, although you will catch me using them in a pinch. I could also tell you of how, as a child, I would suck on those bullion cubes that our mothers hid in the pantry. So salty, loved it, still not going to use it to replace stock. A liquid that is brought together with those eight essential ingredients to make something that cures all that ales you. It can help cure the common cold, bring back a memory, or just make you feel warmer on a cold, and rainy night. It will always be one of my favorite things to make, and one of the most satisfying.
This thing of beauty consists of eight simple and easy to find ingredients.
Place the bones in a large heavy bottomed pot. Fill with water to cover the bones. On low heat bring to a simmer. DO NOT BOIL!!! This will allow the fat to start to render from the skin that is left on the carcass. Use a ladle to skim the bubbles and fat off into a bowl (no need to save). Do this until the broth is clear. Now add all of the rest of the ingredients. Add more water to cover everything. Bring back to a simmer. AGAIN, DO NOT BOIL!! Boiling will cause the stock to become cloudy. The cloudiness is caused because the boiling allows all of the imperfections and fat to become emulsified into the stock (not good).
Allow the stock to simmer for a minimum of 6 hours. I let it go over night. The longer you let it go the more you are going to caramelize the sugars in the products, and the darker the stock will become. Not a bad thing, but reduction of said stock becomes an issue if you are not careful. The longer you go, and the more caramelization that happens the less you will be able to reduce without it becoming bitter. No Demi For You!
Now that you have been very patient, did not let it boil. You have extracted everything from the bones, vegetables, herbs and spices that you can possibly get. Next, it is time to strain. I used to have a chef that would make us strain everything. If it was liquid in some form, it got strained. I strain my chicken stock through a chinois, a very fine strainer. It will take out 90% of the particulates. If you would like I could tell you how to make a crystal clear stock, but in my world that is pretty much a waste of time. Too much work. Ain’t nobody got time for that! We are not working at some 3 star Michelin restaurant here.
After the stock is strained I put mine in gallon zip lock bags and freeze for later. Try to lay them flat. It will be easier to deal with later on. Then all you need to do is pull it out of the freezer, break it up and use as much as you need when you need it. It will stay good for months.
In this recipe you are going to want to keep all of the ingredients in larger pieces. Cut the onions in half, carrots cut into 2” logs, and the garlic cut from side to side, leaving the peel on. Take all of this and toss with Olive Oil. Put a sheet pan in the oven at about 450 degrees. You want to get it hot before you add the veg. Once it comes up to temp, add the onions, carrots, and garlic (exposed garlic side down) to the sheet pan. You should hear a nice sizzle when you put the veg to the sheet pan. Now it all goes in the oven. Stir it up every ten minutes. You want good caramelization to happen. You are looking to color the outside of the veg but you don’t need to cook through. This is why we are using very high temperatures. This color is going to help the body and flavor the stock.
Once all of the onions, carrots, and garlic are caramelized add them to a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add all of the rest of the ingredients. Cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer, and allow to simmer for about 4 hours to 6 hours. Again, DO NOT BOIL!! Then strain.
These are two great recipes to have in your tool box. They both create a wonderful aroma that will envelope the entire house. It makes it so easy to create great food when you have items like these stock piled in your freezer. Great cooking starts with a great base. Creating food from scratch can be daunting, but it is an endeavor that is well worth it. It will always be something that will calm my soul. There is nothing better than seeing the smile on someone’s face after they have taken a bite or a sip.