17 November 2005

i'm the undisputed queen of chicken stock, yo!

yes kids, you know it's that time of year when i break out the biggest stock pot i have and, well... make the whole house reek of thanksgiving. i'm sure the recipe is somewhere on my blog, but i'll post it again:

4 lb chicken backs, wings, or other parts that are as bony as they are meaty
3 med onions, quartered
4 ribs celery, roughly chopped
4 carrots, roughly chopped
4-5 intact garlic cloves
10 sprigs fresh thyme
good handful italian parsley
2 bay leaves
10-20 whole peppercorns

put all ingredients in the largest pot you have and cover to 1" deep with COLD water. cover pot and place over medium heat just until bubbles break the surface. remove lid and lower heat to low. you don't want it to ever cook any harder than bubbles breaking the surface. cook 8 hrs and remove the chunks with a spider or other straining utensil and then pour through the finest strainer you have into a very large bowl. it will remove the herby bits and whatever scuzz might still be lingering in the stock. place bowl containing stock into an ice bath and cool until the stock begins to take on a jello-like consistency.

using a ladle, fill large ziploc bags with the stock and freeze till needed.


tomorrow... tips on making the best pumpkin pie ever!

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