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