Thinking of soup...

[Sussex19]

I would like to have a good recipe for chicken soup; as I understand it, good soup needs a good stock?
So how does one make stock?
Can one use the liver, heart, neck and feet and that sort of thing?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I usually use bones from a roasted chicken and just throw them in a pot with enough water to cover them and simmer very gently for a few hours. You can add bay leaves as well but I don't add any other seasoning or vegetables until its almost done. The key is not to boil it and to leave it uncovered. It will reduce-that's fine. Once it is done (this really depends on what you like-a weak stock only takes an hour or two but a more concentrated one can go longer) you strain it and put it to cool uncovered in the fridge. Once it's cool there will be a layer of yellow fat on top which should easily be spooned off. Voilà. A concentrated stock can even be gelatinous. There are more complicated things you can do and steps to add but this is the basic method I use for soup and gravy.

 

[Sussex19]

I usually use bones from a roasted chicken and just throw them in a pot with enough water to cover them and simmer very gently for a few hours. You can add bay leaves as well but I don't add any other seasoning or vegetables until its almost done. The key is not to boil it and to leave it uncovered. It will reduce-that's fine. Once it is done (this really depends on what you like-a weak stock only takes an hour or two but a more concentrated one can go longer) you strain it and put it to cool uncovered in the fridge. Once it's cool there will be a layer of yellow fat on top which should easily be spooned off. Voilà. A concentrated stock can even be gelatinous. There are more complicated things you can do and steps to add but this is the basic method I use for soup and gravy.

Thanks! That sounds quite straight forward, do you take the bones out at any point?
Also how much stock does it take to make soup?
I'm a total newbie with this sort of thing.

 

[Tonyroo]

You can also use a fresh chicken. Boil it for 45 to 50 minutes, remove the chicken de-bone the chicken and place the bones back in the pot and simmer for 2 hours.

 

[Sussex19]

You can also use a fresh chicken. Boil it for 45 to 50 minutes, remove the chicken de-bone the chicken and place the bones back in the pot and simmer for 2 hours.

Can one use part precooked and part fresh at the same time?

 

[Tonyroo]

Can one use part precooked and part fresh at the same time?

Yes.

 

[Tonyroo]

There's a noticeable smell, color and texture of the broth. Which reminds you of homemade soup.

 

[Sussex19]

Yes.

There's a noticeable smell, color and texture of the broth. Which reminds you of homemade soup.

Thanks, sounds good!
To you any of the other bits like liver and heart?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Thanks! That sounds quite straight forward, do you take the bones out at any point?
Also how much stock does it take to make soup?
I'm a total newbie with this sort of thing.

I leave the bones in the whole time. In fact, if I want a thicker stock I will take a mallet to the leg bones before they go in the pot to let the marrow cook out. After I've strained the broth I will pick whatever meat is left off the bones. You can use it in your soup. I have never used organ meats in my stock. I don't think it would be bad or anything but I would probably roast them a little in the oven first just as a personal preference.

 

[NatJ]

do you take the bones out at any point?

The bones would come out at this point:

Once it is done (this really depends on what you like-a weak stock only takes an hour or two but a more concentrated one can go longer) you strain it and put it to cool uncovered in the fridge.

Straining it will separate the stock (liquid) from the bones and any other bits that are not liquid.