Bone stock (or "broth") is known by many people as "Jewish penicillin". Bone stocks were a staple in peoples' diets back in the days when they raised their own animals, since they were left with so many inedible parts. Is it a coincidence that cancer was pretty much non-existent back then? This is an old-world tradition that is making a comeback because of all of the beneficial effects.
Stock is dense in nutrients, and rich in trace minerals such as magnesium and calcium as well as glycine – an amino acid that aids digestion and may help to assist in the healing of wounds and injuries. Chicken bone stock contains glucosamine and chondroiton – which are thought to help soften the pain and ease the degenerative effects of arthritis and joint pain. The minerals it contains are easily absorbed by the body. Stock is super rich in gelatin, which in the past has been used to treat intestinal disorders such as colitis and Chrohns' disease. Research has indicated that gelatin can be of use in the treatment of chronic disorders like anemia, diabetes, muscular dystrophy, and even cancer! Not to mention, stock is super simple to make and cheaper (and healthier!) than the store-bought kind!
I bring my stock with me in a jar to work, instead of having coffee in the morning. With the exception of the "hm, that's weird" looks I get from my co-workers, this practice really starts my day off right. I use it instead of water to cook my vegetables and grains, and it is the richest, tastiest base to the soups that I love to make. Honestly, incorporating stock into your diet is one of the best things you can do for your overall well-being.
We will be roasting a chicken, then using the bones (or "carcass", the technical term) to make the stock.
1. First, get yourself a healthy, happy, PASTURE-RAISED chicken. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees - we will blast it to give the skin some color, and after 10 minutes turn the oven down to 300 degrees (Pastured chickens tend to be tougher since they ran around a lot, so cooking it at a lower temperature will make it more tender).
2. Stuff its "rear" end full of aromatics, like onions, garlic, herbs, carrots, lemon, and celery.
3. Use your fingers to gently separate the skin from the meat, and stuff butter, herbs, and lemon slices under the skin, as well as plenty of salt and pepper.
4. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on a bed of vegetables in a cast iron skillet, or on a rack on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper.
5. Tie the legs together using butcher's twine or unflavored dental floss.
6. Stick your probe thermometer (if you don't have one just cook it until the thigh is no longer pink when you cut into it) into the thigh, and put it in the oven. Again, we are blasting it at 400 for 10 minutes, then reducing the heat to 300 and cooking until done. It will take at least an hour, and you want it to read 160 degrees when you pull it from the oven (it will reach the proper chicken-cooking temp of 165 after you pull it out).
There you have it! What a beauty!
Cut off the legs and breasts, and use this delicious meat on its own, or shredded for soups, tacos, or any other application that calls for (perfectly seasoned, succulent) chicken. Also, find the wishbone. Making a wish on it is an old family tradition, and makes chicken-roasting extra fun!
Now you're left with the bones and we can get to our stock!
Collect aromatic vegetables, including the 3 basic vegetables for almost everything soup-related: carrots, celery, and onion (this mixture in French is called "mirepoix"). You can use garlic, herbs, old unused vegetables from the fridge, ends of onions and carrots you have saved in the freezer from previous meals. The stock is a fantastic way of cleaning out your fridge, within reason of course.
In a large pot, place the chicken bones and your vegetables and cover completely with water. Add a tablespoon or two of organic apple cider vinegar, as the acid helps to draw out minerals.
Bring to almost to a boil, skim off any "scum" that rises to the top, and turn the heat down. Here is the KEY: To make sure all of the gelatin and collagen in the bones remains in your stock, you want to simmer it on SUPER SUPER low heat, so low that a bubble only rises to the top every few seconds. I used to think that the harder my stock boiled, the more nutrients would come out of the bones. This is not the case! You want to make stock LOW and SLOW. I let mine simmer for 24-48 hours, covered, and by then, the bones are soft, and the stock, when cold, is a delightful bowl of chicken jell-o!
Using tongs, pull the bones and large vegetable chunks out of the pot and discard. Pour the remaining stock through a strainer into a large bowl, and place into the fridge to cool. My favorite part of making chicken stock is opening the fridge the next morning to see if it became gel!
Store in mason jars, and drink within 5 days. Make sure you make more before this batch runs out! If you're not in the mood for another roasted chicken, don't be shy of going to your local butcher and asking them for chicken bones. Chances are they have saved the necks, backs, and feet from chickens they have butchered and have them laying around in the freezer, so they will sell them to you super cheap! Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment