Chicken Stock

I am a bit of a scrooge when it comes to chicken stock. I refuse to buy it. I don't like the little cubes of stock-making stuff as they seem to be far too many added extras with long-sounding names. The 'real' stock I'm okay with, but if I add the cost of buying stock to a recipe, it becomes more and more expensive. So I make my own. I quite often get us little chooks for dinner (the smallest ones you can get here, number 9s I think?) on special for around $5 each. We usually manage to get two meals out of such a chook, then I pop the carcass into the freezer. Once I have several little carcasses in my stash, I make a batch of stock. I am a very basic stock-maker. In fact, I don't even know if it would technically be called a stock, or more of a broth. I pretty much just chuck the chicken carcasses into a pot, cover with water, and simmer for most of the day (or as many hours as I can be bothered with!). If I feel very domesticated, I might add some bay leaves, an onion or other assorted herbs. There you have it, chicken stock. It does the job, at any rate. And I feel really good about using something that is otherwise going to be a complete waste, to make something that can help create deliciously tasty meals.

Amy

Monday, 24th January, 2011