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From: nemo@rochester.UUCP (Wolfe)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: How do you make stock?
Message-ID: <12892@rochester.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Nov-85 09:44:41 EST
Article-I.D.: rocheste.12892
Posted: Tue Nov  5 09:44:41 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 8-Nov-85 07:11:14 EST
References: <7303@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Organization: U. of Rochester, CS Dept.
Lines: 64

>   Soon I will have a chicken carcass on my hands and I would like to make
> some chicken stock.  How do I do it?  As I recall, it entails dumping the
> bones along with some spices in a pot of water and simmering all afternoon.
> Any suggestions for spices to use? Does anyone know how long it keeps in a
> freezer?
>    Willard Korfhage

Piece of cake.  In fact, you just about have it already.  But for
completeness, here goes.  Cover chicken parts (carcass, wing tips etc.
saved from previous birds you cut up and kept in freezer until you
have enough to make stock) with water.  Do *not* salt at this point,
since you will be reducing the stock later and it is hard to gauge the
saltiness until the end.  Add vegetable pieces if you wish.  I save the
ends of carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, etc. that I trim off when making
other dishes along with the chicken parts in the freezer and use them in
the stock as well.  *Avoid* green pepper parts at this stage, they tend 
to make the stock bitter.  Add a bay leaf if you like, and simmer for a
couple of hours (longer than that really doesn't get much more flavor out).
To really stretch a chicken bone, simmer for one hour, then drain stock
solids and reserve the liquid.  Cover the solids with more water and simmer
for another hour.  Remove & discard solids.  Strain stock through a seive
at least and return to clean pot.  Boil uncovered for 10 - 20 minutes until
volume is reduced to 1/2 original, or until it tastes good.  If you are
not sure, add *just* a *little* salt at this point, since a little salt
can really bring the flavor out.  Warm up clean jars with tap water, then
replace tap water with boiling water, put lids on and turn upside down for
five minutes or longer.  When the stock is ready, pour the water out of the
jars and put in the boiling stock.  This is easier if you pour it into a
large (we use a 4 cup) measuring cup (also rinsed with boiling water).
Clean lip if you spilled stock on the jar, and put lids on, then wash outside
if necessary.  Let cool, then label (date!) and put in fridge.  Ours keep
for at least a month done this way.  If you open a jar of stock, then use
it all, since it does not keep well after that.  Or you can reheat and recan
the unused portion, but don't just put the lid back on and stick it in the
box for an unpleasant surprise later.  The fat will congeal on the surface,
making it very easy to remove when you go to use the stock.  If you used
spices, they will flavor the schmaltz, if you are into using schmaltz in 
your cooking.  About spices:  I usually refrain from putting much more than
perhaps a little bay and/or some pepper (pepper corns are good since they
will be strained out and not appear as dirt in the bottom of the stock).
This allows you greater flexibility when using the stock, if you don't have
a particular use in mind when you make it.  I find that browning the meat 
makes for a tastier stock, although it turns out darker (may not be desirable
for some recipes).

Another note:  Thoroughly rinse your shell-on shrimp and save the shells
for stock.  Watch out that they do not foam up and boil over when you
boil them.  Half an hour will suffice to get their flavor out, but the
liquid will have to be reduced to about 1/4 of the original volume.  I
used to give it to the cats, but we split it 50/50 now that I found out
why they are so crazy about it.  It does not keep as well as chicken stock,
so use it soon (or with the shrimp dish).  The frozen shrimp stock will
keep for at least a month, but I wouldn't trust the refrigerator-stored
stuff for more than two weeks.

have fun & enjoy,
Nemo
-- 
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