Basic One-Step Chicken Stock

Andrew Zimmern shares his nourishing recipe.

By Andrew Zimmern | Experience Life

Makes Approx. 1.5 gallons
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 36 hours

Ingredients

10 lbs. fresh chicken backs, neck and wing bones
2 cups each diced carrot, celery, onion
1 leek, greens trimmed and discarded, split and washed
2 bay leaves
1 tbs. Peppercorns
8 sprigs parsley
6 garlic cloves, smashed
Water

Directions

STEP 1

Rinse the bones, in the hottest water that comes out of your faucet, for 3-4 minutes. Drip dry in a colander.

STEP 2

Place all the bones into a 2-gallon stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover with cold water to 4 inches above the bone mass.

STEP 3

Bring stock to a bare simmer, then immediately lower heat to maintain a 190- to 200-degree temperature. There should be no bubbling or movement of the stock. Use a metallic heat diffuser if you have trouble maintaining a flame that low. This can also be done in the oven in a covered Dutch oven.

STEP 4

Keep steeping for 36 hours, adding the occasional cup or two of cold water if stock evaporates below the level of the bones and vegetables.

STEP 5

After cooking, strain slowly, through a colander first, then through a fine-mesh cap strainer. Discard the solids at the bottom of the pot.

STEP 6

Strain stock twice again through clean cheesecloth each time. Rapidly cool stock, and refrigerate overnight. Skim fat and refrigerate, freeze or utilize.

STEP 7

Stock can be used for soups, stews, risottos, sauces, braised dishes and the like.

This recipe originally appeared in “Taking Stock” in the November/December 2002 issue of Experience Life.

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