Sunday 27 March 2011

Chicken Stock

Ok, I'll admit, chicken stock is not exactly a sexy topic. It is however, a staple in the kitchen, and I have a fail-safe way to make the most delicious chicken stock.

It's simple, fast to prepare and, like I say, you're doing well to make a hash of it. What is my secret? My crockpot.

A crockpot makes making any stock - beef, chicken, vege so, so simple. Following our roast dinner the other night I put our (free range - but that's a debate for another day) chicken carcass in the crockpot, threw in a chopped carrot and onion, a few squashed garlic cloves, salt, pepper and a bay leaf, filled it up with water, turned it onto to low and went to bed. The next morning I woke to the most delicious, golden chicken stock, ready to have the fat skimmed off, strained, and popped into containers in the freezer. Done! No endless stirring or watching, and no house full of chicken-stock steam.

I sometimes add a leek and/or celery to my stock, my sister adds fennel - it all depends what is in the fridge. Jamie Oliver advises I should also add various herbs, but again, it all depends what is in my fridge, or in the case of herbs, my freezer.

Now I have a wonderful supply of delicious, healthy chicken stock ready to go whenever I need.

2 comments:

  1. What's your beef stock recipe?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Same deal with beef stock - you can get beef bones really cheap from the supermarket or your butcher. If you roast them first, you get a different flavour, but either works. And roasting takes time and is a bit of a hassle. Happy stocking!

    ReplyDelete