THE IRONWEED KITCHEN

38. CHICKEN STOCK FROM THE BARBIE

Driving a stock in a particular “flavor” direction is open road stuff. The chicken goodies for this stock are the remains of a family leg and thigh feast earlier this summer. It was a spicy and smoky grilling affair which will find its way into this simple classic mirepoix stock.

• The magic All-Clad Pressure Cooker

• Chicken bones and stuff

• Onion

• Celery

• Spring water 

Note: This bag of skin and bones was definitely smoky. I’m counting on this lingering out of doors flavor to makes its way into this stock “from the barbie”.

Chop this stuff up quickly and in hunks. Don’t worry about pretty.

Throw it in the pot like this – skins and all.

Note: I’m being lazy by not chopping this stuff into smaller bits.

Cover with water but no higher than the fill line marker.

Sometimes I do a single cook and sometimes I do a double depending on the circumstances and all that’s in it. This will be a single cook.

I’m setting the program for 50 minutes which will produce exactly what the doctor calls for.

After it has cooled a little, I rinse and position a cheese cloth over the colander (which sits on a large bowl) and begin to scoop the solids out of the stock liquid.

Note: If you try to pour the whole thing into the colander it will splash and make a mess. The object in the kitchen is to be efficient. Making messes is NOT and takes valuable time to clean up after yourself. 

A slow and methodical pace insures that the turtle wins the race every time.

Carefully pour this magnificent stock into the colander.

This is the old “tie up the bag” trick. Take two opposing ends of cheese cloth and tie with a square knot.

Tie up the other side and now you have “mess” control.

Slide the wad into a gallon baggie and seal it up.

Hold the bag over the colander with a tip pointed downward, snip an end off and let the juices flow into the bowl.

If the stuff is not too hot, you can massage and squeeze it and push out a considerable quantity of full flavor liquid.

Here’s where I slide it into another baggie for disposal.

I have mentioned this before. It’s very important to degrease the stock. This is the first of two steps.

• Skim off the fat (which naturally floats to the surface) until the container is full. You can see the fat floating on the surface of the good stock.

• Pour the liquid back into the stock bowl until nearing the bottom of the degreaser. Carefully watch the bottom of the neck as it nears the end and you will observe the fat beginning to escape into the neck. At that point, you’re done. Discard the fat.

Note: I always remove as much of the original fat as I can. This allows me, if I choose, to replace it with a fat of my choice depending on how it’s being used. 

This is the end. What’s in the vessel is 100% chicken fat and I don’t want it in my stock. I prefer having control of the fat that may end up in whatever I’m building, whether butter, EVO etc. I can tell you that I never choose chicken fat as an option (personal reasons).

Time to transfer the stock into my jars.

Priceless.

I mentioned that there are two steps to the degreasing process. If you look carefully at the top layer of these jars, you will notice the jar in the foreground has a narrow lighter colored surface. This is residual fat that has made its way to the surface as it cooled. Before it’s used I ladle and skim this crud off the top.

Note: Standing upright in the jar is a wooden chop stick, an indication that this is a truly gelatinous stock. I expect nothing less.

Note number two: When you pour the clean stock out of the jar, there will (usually) be a layer of sediment at the bottom. I always take care to pay attention and when I see the sludge appear at the bottom of the jar I stop pouring and throw it away. There is typically no more than a tablespoon or two so not to worry.

Note number three: This stock was great. Just enough smoky to make you smile and know that this was the real thing. Loaded with flavor.

MORE IRONWEED KITCHEN ESSAYS

37. lamb & eggs

38. chicken stock from the barbie

39. really risotto

40. bread rules

41.eggs, hash & coffee

42. cannellini soup

43. lemon guacamole

44. smokey salsa verde

Thanks for visiting with me.

Paul V’Soske

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