Description
Ina Garten’s homemade chicken stock elevates kitchen craft with rich, deeply layered flavors from classic ingredients. Simmered with aromatic herbs and vegetables, this liquid gold provides home cooks a foundational recipe that can enhance countless dishes and become a culinary cornerstone.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 3 whole roasting chickens (5 pounds or 2.27 kilograms each)
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 3 large yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered
- 6 carrots, unpeeled, halved
- 4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
- 4 parsnips, unpeeled, cut in half (optional)
- 20 sprigs fresh parsley
- 15 sprigs fresh thyme
- 20 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients including whole chickens, yellow onions, orange carrots, pale green celery, optional ivory parsnips, fresh green parsley, fragrant thyme, delicate dill, aromatic garlic, kosher salt, and dark peppercorns in a spacious 16–20 quarts (15–19 litres) stockpot.
- Fill the stockpot with 7 quarts (6.6 litres) of cold water, ensuring all ingredients are fully submerged. Position the pot on medium-high heat and allow the liquid to reach a vigorous boil.
- Reduce temperature to a gentle simmer after initial boiling. Leave the pot uncovered and allow the mixture to slowly develop flavors for approximately 4 hours. Periodically skim off white foam and cloudy impurities that accumulate on the surface using a fine mesh skimmer.
- After cooking, carefully transfer the hot liquid through a sturdy colander or professional-grade fine-mesh sieve into a large clean container. Thoroughly separate the flavorful liquid from the spent vegetables and chicken pieces, which can be discarded.
- Allow the golden-hued stock to cool naturally to room temperature. Transfer the liquid into individual quart (litre) containers, preparing for storage.
- Refrigerate the stock overnight to allow complete cooling and flavor settlement. Consume within 5 days when refrigerated, or preserve by freezing for up to 3 months for extended usage.
Notes
- Capture peak vegetable freshness for unbeatable depth of flavor, selecting crisp, vibrant produce that will transform your homemade stock into a culinary masterpiece.
- Maintain a gentle, patient simmer to coax out rich, complex flavors, allowing ingredients to release their essence without creating a cloudy liquid.
- Remove foam and impurities consistently during cooking to ensure a crystal-clear, clean-tasting stock that looks as good as it tastes.
- Allow stock to cool naturally at room temperature, preventing moisture buildup and preserving the integrity of your carefully crafted liquid gold.
- Portion stock into convenient freezer-friendly containers, making future meal preparation quick, easy, and deliciously efficient.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 86
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 343 mg
- Fat: 2.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.5 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 19 mg