PROCESS:
Roasting Bones:
The next time you roast a chicken, save the bones and place them back in the roasting pan. Roast the bones for about an hour at 400-degrees until they become dark brown, don't burn the bones. It's a good idea to turn or stir the bones a couple times during the roasting process. You may also chop or break the bones into small pieces so they roast even and fit better in the stock pot. The darker you roast the bones, the darker the finished stock will be.
You may also brush some tomato paste on the bones about halfway through the roasting process for flavor and to help darken the stock.
Mirepoix:
Is rough cut celery, onion, carrot and garlic. Heat a large stock pot to medium high and saute the vegetables in olive oil for a few minutes. Add the herbs and spices cook for a few more minutes. Pour cold water over the vegetables until they are completely covered. Allow water to come to boil and then reduce temperature to simmer. When the bones are roasted, add them to the stock pot, add more water to cover the bones.
Deglaze the Roasting Pan:
While the roasting pan is still hot, add a cup of water, stir and scrape the pan with a whisk or fork to loosen the food particles stuck to the pan, aka fond. These little nuggets of joy will add great flavor to the stock. Pour this liquid and loosened particles into the stock.
Allow the stock to simmer for an hour or so. Keep the bones and vegetables covered with water and try not to allow the stock to boil. Boiling will make the finished stock cloudy. You may need to add additional water to the pot as it cooks to keep the bones submerged.
Strain the stock into a clean sauce pan, discard the bones, etc.
This is good basic brown stock, you may use it immediately or refrigerate it for future use.
To Thicken the Stock:
Place the clean pot back on the stove and bring the stock to a boil.
Place 1/2 cup of corn starch in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup water, stir until the starch dissolves.
Slowly pour some of the starch into the boiling stock and stir vigorously with a whisk to thicken. Continue to add starch until the sauce is thickened to your desired consistency.
* Be sure the stock is boiling when adding the corn starch.
You may also thicken the stock with roux if you prefer. In the video I added sliced mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil and sweet butter.
INGREDIENTS:
Roast the Bones:
1 chicken carcass, bones and skin
tomato paste, optional
1/4 cup olive oil
Mirepoix:
1 carrot, sliced, unpeeled
2 ribs celery, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced, unpeeled
1 head garlic, sliced in half
Seasoning:
fresh thyme sprigs
fresh oregano
rosemary sprigs
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon kosher salt
water to cover