SWD2: Stock

I know I rambled on about stock in the first post today. But I mean really, stock is the easiest thing to make. And what’s unfortunate in the stock world (soup stock that is, let’s not get started on financial stock) today is that much of the store bought varieties have hidden preservatives in their ingredients that can be detrimental to people with food sensitivities. Yeast cultures, gluten, sometimes even different types of nuts are used to help in “flavorings” of these stocks.

Trust me, even if you are the “I make toast” type of person (and even if you burn the toast) you can make this chicken stock. And if you are vegetarian, look for alternative ingredients at the bottom.

Chicken Stock:

Makes around 10 Cups

Ingredients:

• 5 celery stalks
• 5 carrots
• 1 onion
• 1 Tsp butter
• chicken carcass
• 3 bay leaves
• 5 peppercorns
• thyme bundle *You can find a “soup bundle” of herbs generally in the fresh herb shelf of your produce section, if so, disregard the herbs listed
• sage leaves
• 2 garlic cloves

1. Wash celery and carrots, cutting off tops and ends, and remove skin and tops and bottoms of onion. Turn stove on low heat and add butter to soup pot.

2. Rough chop your vegetables. They can be in inch by inch chunks, and do not have to look pretty. Add to butter and let sauté for about 5 minutes.

3. Add in leftover chicken carcass from your soup, or roast. *If roasted chicken, you can freeze the carcass until ready to make the stock

4. Cover with water until there is about 2 inches from top of pot.

5. Add in rest of ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer for about 6-8 hours.

Let cool and using a colander, drain the stock from one pot to another, removing all ingredients. Freeze in pint and quart sized containers.

For Vegetable Stock:

Replace chicken with 2 turnips and 3 dates (gives the veggie stock a really great boost). Cook the same as chicken stock.