Don't Panic Pantry Building Blocks: Chicken Stock

A bonus episode of Don't Panic Pantry to teach some building block basics! It's time to extract the essence of felled birds and plucked vegetables, and then transfer it into water. Let's make Chicken Stock.

A (very) loose recipe for chicken stock.

Ingredients
Assorted chicken bones, whether raw or leftover from a roasted chicken. (I often use a combination of necks, backs and a little bonus handful or two of feet -- if you have some cuts like wings or drumsticks, with a little extra meat on them, it will make your stock even more flavorful).

Additional aromatics, like leek tops, parsley stems, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaves, sliced ginger, star anise...whatever you want to infuse into your stock.

Note: I like to use my biggest pot, since it's basically just as easy to make a large pot as it is a small one. For an 8-quart stock pot, you are looking for about 4 pounds of chicken parts. For a 16-quart stock pot, you're looking for about 8 or 9 pounds of chicken parts.

Directions
If you like a darker-colored, roastier stock, you can roast your bones first. I personally like that light, hay-colored stock, so I just put the raw bones right in the pot. Fill the pot with water, leaving about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of space between the water line and the top of the pot.

Bring the stock to a boil over high heat (aren't you glad you left that room at the top?). Once it is at a hard boil, a lot of scum and foam will rise to the top. Skim that scum and discard it (should "Skim That Scum and Discard It" be a motivational t-shirt?).

Once it is mostly skimmed, reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Allow it to just barely bubble for about 1 to 2 hours, then add your aromatics. Continue cooking until you don't really feel like waiting for it to cook anymore. This could be another hour, if you're really in a hurry. Though I like to go about 5 to 6 hours, or longer, if I have the time.

Turn off the heat, then remove as many big hunks of chicken or aromatics that you can using a slotted spoon, a strainer with a handle, or even tongs. Discard those which have been removed.

If you really want to get fancy, line a strainer with cheesecloth and then ladle the stock through it (if you just pour it, the weight of the full pot of stock will push impurities through). But you can also just go through a regular strainer. Oh, and make sure you have another container to catch the stock...otherwise you're just pouring it down the sink, which would be a real waste of time. Take some stock and put it in a bowl or a mug. Season it with salt and taste it. Isn't that lovely?

Finally, you're probably going to want to skim off some fat (and you can save it to use as schmaltz!). There are a few ways to do this.

1. Ladle it out carefully from the top of the pot.

2. Let the pot cool, transfer it to the fridge, then skim the fat off in the morning once it is hardened.

3. Transfer the stock to containers, then move it to the fridge and skim the fat in the morning.

You did it! You made chicken stock! Or you just read the recipe and haven't made it yet.

The Team:
Basically Everything other Than Cooking: Ben Leavitt
Music: Ray Suen
Pop-up Graphics: Jordan Husmann
Noah Galuten: Noah Galuten

[Amy-tlxe]

I also throw a knob of fresh turmeric into my stock - makes the color lovely!

[meganchen]

After 29 years of not knowing (and can never remember after many Google attempts) the difference of stock vs broth, I can finally say that I know the difference now! I feel like I can finally call myself and adult :D

[chrisbynum]

I followed this recipe and it came out fantastic! Not only was this stock great for soups, I used it when cooking red beans and rice. Also, I did a little math and figured out making my own stock is cheaper than buying the boxed stuff . I’m making another batch today so I came back to watch the video again.

[Etche_homo]

Congrats for a new family member to whom to pass on the virtues of stock!
So, you have a slotted spoon you used when squeezing out the onion: it works pretty well for skimming.
Rotisserie chicken bones: excellent for stock-making. If you don't want to save carcasses in the freezer, count about 1-2 L/qts per carcass.
The virtue of a pressure cooker is less energy expended per volume of stock. 30 minutes of steam versus hours (though now I don't bother with more than about 2h if an open stock pot). It's possible to add onion/shallots later or pre-sautéed, if some people don't digest well.
Highly reduced stock takes up less space in the freezer or even in jam jars, can be reconstituted later. When thawing the gelatin looks weird but it'll be fine and tasty.

[rickbourne]

I remember my grandmother doing this. The faucet over the stove is pretty cool. Ice cube idea is clever. I have some of these extra large ice cube forms (not really a tray, they are soft) and could see that working. Now I feel a little guilty throwing away the carcus from the occassional rotisserie chicken I buy.

[mmrice]

Noahhh, loved your article on what it is we’re buying that’s called stock. Started buying Better than Bullion to avoid plastic from stock boxes but after reading those ingredients, have been wanting to make my own. Thanks for the awesome and straightforward recipe. Please oh please help the food industry turn away from plastic. It’s SO ever present. Also think there’s got to be micro plastics on our food when we put hot liquid in plastic containers. Would like your input/any aid in the fight against it.

[marisolquintanilla]

I've always had an irrational fear of making stock, but I think I'll give it a try!

[joymulhollanpeoples]

What is the benefit of stovetop vs. pressure cooker?

[amandamartini-hughes]

one day i'll have a freezer big enough to make stock. also a big enough pot.

[artharrison]

Hmmm… I have always just saved the leftovers from roast chicken in the freezer until I have enough and then adding water and the mirepoix and simmering that for hours to use as a broth. That way it’s kind of pre-seasoned and has a roasted flavour. I then pressure can it and use it either as a base for soups or just as a broth. I hope I’m not risking food poisoning by doing this but I thought that by pressure canning it as a soup it would be safe.

[jeffreyclark]

I accidently used a carcass that had citrus halves(lemon and orange) still in it to make stock. The stock had an extra citrus note that was surprisingly good. Did I get lucky? Could the citrus ruin the sock?

[tamsmith]

Tip of the hat to your Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil!

[corgeousgeorge]

OMG your poor suffering wife is so cute! She looks a lot like Eliza Schlesinger the comedian. She seems like if she eats any more of your yummy food she may burst and the baby would come out prematurely! How do you feel about putting the onion paper in the pot as well when making broth?

[anisaromano]

Totally not the point of this video, but Iliza's hair looks SO good in the first clip she's in!