Chicken Stock
Up your cooking game with homemade chicken stock. Chicken stock can be made with any leftover veggies (carrots, celery, leeks, onions, etc). If you’ve made a roast chicken recently, don’t throw the carcass away and make an easy stock instead. The bones will cook low and slow along with the veggies and herbs infusing flavors for every hour it cooks. Definitely a weekend project but worth the time! And if you’re as confused as I was about the difference between “stock,” “broth", and “bone broth,” see below.
Chicken Stock
Makes multiple servings
Calories per serving: varies
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 4 hours
Ingredients
1/2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup onion
1 cup carrots
1 cup celery
1 bay leaf
1 cup parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
1 chicken carcass (or bones)
1 Tbs. kosher salt
Method
Roughly chop the onion, carrots, celery, and parsley and set aside.
Heat a large stock pan, on medium. Add garlic and onions and fry for 1-2 mins. Add bay leaf and thyme and fry another minute.
Add carrots and celery and fry for another minute. Then add parsley, the chicken carcass (or bones), kosher salt, and top with enough water to cover everything and have about 1 inch of water on top. About 8-10 cups.
Bring to a boil, skimming the froth on top that develops.
Lower heat and simmer for 4 hours stirring occasionally.
Cool slightly, strain, and refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Stock vs. Broth vs. Bone Broth
While the words stock, broth, and bouillon are used interchangeably by most chefs (and the rest of us), “bone broth” has three main distinctions — the types of bones used are a mix of marrow-filled larger bones and those that contain more cartilage like knuckles & joints, the bones to water ratio is high at 3 pounds of bones per 1 gallon of water, and the amount of time the broth cooks is around 24+ hours releasing the maximum amount of collagen and nutrients and resulting in more concentrated health benefits. With that said, chicken broth or stock is also nutritious and has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for centuries to support digestive health, help build blood, and strengthen the kidneys. And, we all know how good it is to have a bowl of chicken soup when you’re sick. It can help clear nasal congestion, thin mucus, and the anti-inflammatory properties nourish your immune system to fight colds & flus.
Sources: https://blog.barebonesbroth.com/bone-broth-vs-stock/
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/qa/does-chicken-soup-help-fight-colds
