Taking stock...er, Making Stock

Whenever I get the least bit ambitious in the kitchen, I get an urge to make my own stock. Store-bought, canned stock (Swanson) is OK stuff. There is a brand in a 32 ounce box (can't remember the name, but relatively expensive) made from Free-range chickens that is better as long as you buy the Low Sodium kind. All store-bought stocks are loaded with sodium. However, nothing beats the flavor of home made! In fact, it really does have a completely different flavor profile than canned stuff.

Just a side note. The difference between stock and broth? Basically, broth is made from boiling raw meat. Stock is made from roasting off the bones (veal, beef, or chicken), then boiling. Both are typically boiled with a basic mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery) and a bouquet garni of herbs (thyme, parsley and celery leaves for these purposes.

It's not difficult. Roast about 5 pounds of bones (chicken parts like wings, backs, thigh bones, breast bones, etc). Put them on a sheet pan or roasting pan after tossing with canola oil, give them about an hour at 350. Rough chop the veggies. Put roasted bones, veggies, and 3 1/2 quarts of water in large stock pot, add some peppercorns, simmer for 3 hours uncovered. Strain solids, reduce remaining liquid to about 6 cups. Cool. Skim remaining fat. Then freeze or use within 2 days. By the way...never, ever, ever use any salt or pepper on the meat or in the stock while its cooking. Save that for your soup, or sauce, or gravy you make from the stock! Yes, the stock will taste noticeably bland (lacking in salt) if you're used to canned broth or those gawd-awful boullion cubes that are almost all salt.

Stock recipes (or any other recipes for that matter) are not copyrighted. But, I stole this one from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook. It's simply a poultry variation on how good, fine-dining, brown stock is made.