| Making chicken broth and chicken stock | | | | end up boiling your broth, it will boil |
| takes a little tending to, but that's | | | | away too much of the flavor. |
| only to bring out the wonderful essence | | | | 8. If you are making a cream soup, using |
| and wholesome flavor that's | | | | leftover vegetables that are slightly |
| characteristic of a great broth. Below | | | | past their prime is an excellent way to |
| 12 great tips for making a wonderful | | | | thicken your stock. Simply puree the |
| homemade broth. | | | | vegetables and add them in to the stock |
| 1. Start with choosing an older bird (a | | | | slowly until blended. |
| roaster - about 5-7 lbs.) An older bird | | | | 9. If you are using eggs to thicken your |
| has had time to develop that rich and | | | | soup, you can avoid curdling the egg by |
| intense chicken flavor - more so than a | | | | first stirring a cup of the hot stock or |
| younger bird - like the milder tasting | | | | broth into the egg and then pour it all |
| Cornish hens. A broiler chicken would | | | | into the soup. And PLEASE make sure you |
| work, but really, the roasters are the | | | | don't boil the soup once the egg has |
| best for making chicken broth. | | | | been added. You will have a soupy |
| 2. To save time, use the roaster parts | | | | casserole on your hand if don't watch |
| of the chicken. They cook much faster | | | | out. |
| and if you only need a small amount of | | | | 10. Soups with the most flavor are a |
| broth, this is an excellent way to do | | | | result of storing them covered, in the |
| it. | | | | refrigerator for a day or two. To seal |
| 3. In making chicken broth, I've found | | | | in the flavor, while storing, leave the |
| that the richest flavor from chicken | | | | layer of fat on top. When you are ready |
| comes from the muscles that are used the | | | | to use the soup, you can simply remove |
| most. This happens to be found in the | | | | the layer of fat - by that time it has |
| dark meat. You can use all parts of the | | | | congealed and is easy to remove. If any |
| chicken to make a satisfactory broth, | | | | particles of fat remain, just take a |
| but for the fullest and richest flavor, | | | | paper towel (unscented) and lay it on |
| use the legs, necks, and thighs. | | | | the surface of the soup. Draw the towel |
| 4. If you want a clear golden colored | | | | to one side and it will pick up the |
| broth, then do not use the liver. The | | | | leftover particles. |
| liver will turn the stock to a mucky, | | | | 11. When freezing broth, make sure you |
| cloudy color. And if you want to keep | | | | have 1/2- to 1-inch room in the |
| that golden color, another tip is to use | | | | container since soup when it is frozen, |
| only the stems of parsley and the white | | | | will expand. Freeze your stock in quart |
| part of leeks and scallions. This helps | | | | size containers to use in soups later |
| you to avoid a greenish color in your | | | | on. |
| broth. | | | | 12. Another tip for freezing broth and |
| 5. As the stock cooks down, a foamy | | | | stocks is you can also freeze a bit of |
| substance will float to the top. You | | | | it in ice cube trays. Then you can use |
| simply skim it off or strain it using a | | | | the ice cubes when you are making sauces |
| doubled over piece of cheesecloth. | | | | or gravies. |
| 6. If you are using herbs and greens in | | | | In making some wonderful chicken broth |
| making chicken broth to flavor it, make | | | | recipes, check out the links below: |
| sure you tie up the herbs first, in a | | | | Fantastic Chicken Broth |
| little cheesecloth bag. This will help | | | | Homemade Chicken Broth |
| you when you are skimming off the foam | | | | Traditional Chicken Broth |
| not to lose your flavoring | | | | And if you are interested in more |
| inadvertantly. Tieing the herbs up this | | | | information about soup facts, history |
| way is called a "bouquet garni". | | | | and soup cooking tips (and recipes of |
| 7. When simmering stock or broth, make | | | | course!) just visit the Soup Hoopla! |
| sure you always use a low heat. If you | | | | Website. |