Don’t skimp on the chicken stock, not if you want to distinguish your recipes from the norm.
Making chicken stock is not hard, nor is it hard work. If you’ve checked out the shrimp stock recipe here, you already realize you should save your vegetable and herb trimmings by freezing them in freezer bags. We ran a “Practical Tip” on it also. (“Practical Tips” appears on our home page and changes regularly). Then, you’ll have the makings for fantastic homemade chicken stock, or shrimp, beef and vegetable stock any time you want or need it. All you need is a fresh chicken or leftover “parts” (livers, gizzards, necks, wings, whatever). When making any type of chicken soup, we like to use a fresh, whole chicken to make fresh homemade chicken stock. After half an hour, we take the chicken out and let it cool. (If you leave the chicken in much longer that this, it might get rubbery and tasteless.) Then we pick all of the meat off the bone and we have flavorful, tender chicken to put in the soup. If we are just making stock for future use, we still have chicken for sandwiches or future recipes. So, why not try it? You’ll find out how easy and economical it is and you’ll be making your own gourmet chicken stock from now on! New Italian Recipes Presents: Ingredients: Preparation: Reduce heat to medium simmering. After half an hour, remove the chicken (if you used a whole chicken or are going to use the meat from the parts) and let it cool. (Remember, don't overcook the chicken.) Return the liner to the pot with all of the vegetables in it. Let the stock reduce for another hour if you have the time. Drain the water trapped in the vegetables back into the stock and you can then throw them away. You can reduce the stock more to intensify the flavor if you like, even reduce it to demi-glace consistency. Two things to remember: Unless you put salt (and pepper) in the stock, it will taste pretty bland in comparison to store bought stock. Tasting is the best way to adjust these amounts. You don’t have to add a tenth of the salt the processors do, though, to get the same degree of taste, (so go easy and "taste"). (That’s worth a lot right there, as far as we’re concerned). Try it, you’ll see! Let the stock stand in the refrigerator overnight if you are not going to use it right away and you can skim all of the fat right off the top. If you are going to cook with it right away, use one of those de-fatter pitchers where the spout is attached to the bottom. The fat will rise to the top and you can pour the stock without getting hardly any of the fat with it. Make your own chicken stock and you’ll have a taste treat. Try your (lightly salted) homemade chicken stock alongside the canned kind and you won’t believe the difference. No wonder Professional Chefs would not even dream of using the store bought kind in their creations! Eat well and prosper! (Dave and Aletha are “Trekies”. If you are too, you’ll get it!) Buon appetito always!
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