How to Make Chicken Stock: Kitchen Secrets Revealed
One of the first lessons taught in culinary schools is on how to make chicken stock, which is the basis of many tasty and flavorful dishes we've come to enjoy today. The taste of soups and sauces would rely greatly on the quality of stock used. A bad stock could ruin the taste of the dish and those with extra sensitive taste buds would know the difference. It is for this reason that neophyte cooks and apprentices find stock making a daunting task because there's this enormous pressure not to mess up. French master chefs and executive chefs are very particular about the entire process; almost like a sacred ritual in the kitchen.
Over the years, methods and techniques have evolved depending on what ingredients are available. This means that there are many ways to make stock and there's no telling which one is better than the other is at the onset. Instructions on how to make chicken stock would vary from one cook to another and what usually happens is that each cook puts his or her own signature ingredient or adds an extra step to make the most basic cooking technique his or her own. But whatever method is used, the basic technique is always utilized.
In making chicken stock, the leftover bones are mixed with the trio of vegetables – onion, carrots and celery – known as mirepoix. The combined vegetables are the aromatics that add flavor to the stock. The assembled ingredients are then left to cook very slowly until the flavors from the bones are fully extracted. The flavor comes from the connective tissues and cartilage in the bone, which are then transformed into gelatinous material.
The stock is not stirred and no seasonings are added because the intention is to just get the essence of the chicken. The stock is a flavored liquid preparation but it is not meant to be salty. For bone-based chicken stock, the cooking time is much longer because it takes at least a few hours to get the flavors from the bones. It is important to note that the cooking method used is simmering; if the stock is allowed to boil, the final product would become cloudy. A cloudy stock is sometimes considered a bad stock because it affects the consistency of sauces and soups. During the process of simmering, unwanted materials or scum rise on top and they are skimmed off. Fat also settle at the bottom of the pot and they are left untouched. The can be removed by allowing the stock to cool, which then lets the fat float and will eventually solidify, making it easier to remove.
Another method of preparation is to make use of chicken parts such as wings, back, and legs, so there are still meat attach to the bones. This method is rather popular because it has more flavors coming from the meat. No matter what method is preferred, the basic technique on how to make chicken stock is always used. Chefs just add more ingredients for added flare.
Questions and Answers
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Veal stock making is perhaps one of the most time consuming cooking processes done in commercial kitchens. Households would rather buy the readymade version available in supermarkets than learn how to make veal stock. This is truly understandable because many people do not want to undergo a painstaking process just to eat some fancy soup or enjoy a saucy dish.
Homemade roasted chicken stock conjures images of family backyard gatherings and a whole lot of food. Such happy image can turn somber upon realization that stock making is involved. Perhaps due to the portrayal of stock as a painstaking kitchen process, people are put off by the idea of creating one at home. It's easy to grab a can or a tetra pack of ready made stock from supermarkets, so why go through the motion of making one at home?
A veal stock recipe is no different from the basic stock recipe taught in schools and in home kitchens. Vegetables, aromatics, and spices are still used but the way the veal is prepared could vary. The main goal is still the same, extract as much flavor as possible from the bones and meat to create the essence, which would then make for a wonderful stock.
Stock-making is arguably one of the most challenging yet satisfying processes done in the kitchen. It does not involve painstaking procedures, but it's easy to mess up if the stock is prepared haphazardly.
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