Chicken Stock - Master Chefs

This master chefs’ chicken stock is the proper restaurant-style version, the kind of liquid gold that cooks build their entire menu around. Five pounds of chicken backs, necks, and carcasses simmer with mirepoix and a small bouquet of aromatics until the bones release their collagen and the broth turns clean, golden, and richly silky.

The slow start matters more than the long simmer. Bringing the pot from cold water up to a slow boil instead of a rolling rip lets the proteins coagulate gradually so they rise to the surface as foam where you can skim them off. That’s how stock stays clear instead of cloudy.

Peppercorns go in only for the last 15 minutes. Cooked any longer and they turn the stock bitter, a rookie mistake worth knowing.

Chef Tips

• Use bony cuts like backs and necks, not breasts, the gelatin from joints and connective tissue is what gives stock body and a glossy mouthfeel.
• Skim with a ladle, not a spoon, and discard the foam, that gray-brown scum is what makes amateur stock cloudy.
• Strain through a double-layer of cheesecloth-lined colander for the cleanest result, paper towels also work in a pinch.
• Cool stock over an ice bath before refrigerating, hot stock spoils quickly when sealed warm.

Variations

• Roast the chicken bones at 400°F (200°C) for 45 minutes before simmering for a deeper, more amber-colored stock with caramelized notes.
• Add a parmesan rind during the simmer for a richer, savory backbone.
• Throw in a knob of fresh ginger and a sprig of cilantro stems for an Asian-leaning version that works in pho or ramen.