Chicken Stock – make your own!
For the last few years I have been writing vegan recipes for January but in 2024 I have decide to concentrate more on budget recipes. It is possible to produce healthy, nutritious food with no nasties for a relatively small cost, but this means something else has to be added, and in this case, it is time!
Not all of the time is taken up in one go, nor does it have to be done at the start of preparing a meal to be consumed there and then. It can just be fitted in around other tasks. I have broken the process down into key stages to make it easier. Compared to buying ready made stock this is a good money saver and we have a deal on the carcasses at the moment – 2 for the price of one!The real bonus though is that you get enough chicken bits to make a meal plus oodles of lovely stock to make your other dishes really tasty. Plus there is a bit of offal which your pet is sure to enjoy!
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
1 chicken carcass
1 lemon, halved
2 bayleaves
Directions
1. Remove the carcass from the packaging. Remove the neck from the bag of giblets. Place the carcass and the neck in a large pan with the lemon and bay leaves. Cover with water and place a lid on top. Bring to boiling point on the hob with a high setting. The minute boiling point is reached, turn the heat down and simmer for around 25 minutes turning the carcass now and then to make sure it is evenly cooked. You may have to fiddle with heat settings and the pan lid to keep it at simmering point.
2. After 25 minutes turn the pan off and remove the carcass into a large sieve or colander. Drain over a bowl. Cover the pan of half made stock with the lid. When the carcass has cooled down, pick off all the meat and place in a small dish. There will be chunks on the underside and under the shoulder bones. The short simmering time ensures the meat is cooked through ready to be incorporated into something else, but still retains its flavour and texture.
TIP 1 : At this point, the three components (liquid, meat and bones) can be wrapped and stored in the fridge if time is short.
3. Return the bones to the liquid and bring to the boil again. Cover and turn the heat down to very low. Simmer for around 3 – 4 hours. If you have a slow cooker, this is ideal for this step, you can leave it for 12 hours or even longer if this fits in with your routine.
4. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any small bits of bone that may have come free. The stock is now ready to use. To store – pour the stock into smaller containers as this helps it to cool faster. Label and when cooled sufficiently, place in the fridge or freezer. Use within 5 days if in the fridge, 3 months if frozen. Makes approximately 3 x 550ml.
TIP 2 – Sweat together some chopped leeks, mushrooms and the chicken meat, add a little stock mixed with cornflour for a pie filling or cook some red lentils with onions and curry powder, add the chicken, a teaspoon of mango chutney and a teaspoon of chopped lime pickle for a mock “dhansak”.