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| Roast chicken and vegetables |
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| Chicken Stock |
When one makes chicken stock you get your moneys worth on the chicken purchased ( a whole chicken is $4 to $8), the vegetable used in making stock are dirt cheap (you will probably use $1-$2 worth of vegetables.) Less waste for the environment, especially when you compost and no stock cartons or cans to the landfill.
Homemade stock not only has excellent taste, without the 570mg of sodium per cup of some store bought stock. Even the low sodium varieties have (in my opinion) a lot of sodium (430mg per cup).
The American Heart Association recommends eating less than 1500 mg of sodium a day. This may seem like a lot, but take a look at the national daily consumption in the United States - 3,436 mg. As for the minimum, which is about 500 mg per day, it is rare to go below that as long as you're on a balanced diet. http://voices.yahoo.com/how-much-sodium-per-day-good-7761328.html?cat=5Broths made from bones not only sooth on a cold day but are proven to heal.
Bone broths (meat, chicken and fish) have been around since the beginning of time I’m certain. Traditional cultures intuitively knew that animal bones have great healing properties. Even today it is proven that the fat of chicken broth/soup is like penicillin in helping to heal the flu and such. More importantly is how healing bone broths are to the lining of our digestive tract in the form of amino acids. Broth is a rich source of minerals, vitamins, calcium and gelatin which is very strengthening to our bones…as you well know. http://www.chefshanekelly.com/2011/04/bone-broths-heal/The BEST thing about making chicken stock is that before you start: ONE MUST, make and eat a delicious, inexpensive chicken dinner, and usually leftovers.
Delicious, Inexpensive, and EASY Roast Chicken
Ingredients
1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbl dried thyme
salt and pepper
kitchen twine
Add veggies to complete the meal: (optional)
Small potatoes
1small thick chopped onion,
1/2 cup each celery and carrot
1 1/2 -2 cups chicken stock (if adding veggies)
Method
- Rinse the chicken off with warm water, add the olive oil so it coats all of the skin.
- Cut the lemon in half and put one half inside the chicken cavity. Then tie the legs together with twine. (this will trap moisture)
- Liberally add salt and fresh pepper to the entire chicken. Sprinkle the thyme on the skin as well.
- Put the veggies (optional) in the bottom of a roasting pan or dutch oven( I use a dutch oven), sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Place the chicken directly on top of the veggies. place the lid on the pan or dutch oven.
- Cook in the oven for 1 hour
- After an hour, take the lid off.
- Add stock to the pan if you added veggies
- Drizzle the bird with lemon juice then a bit more olive oil to insure brown skin
- Cook uncovered for 30 more minutes.
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| My stock pot |
Yields will vary but you should be able to get at least 10 cups of stock
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| Mesh strainer & paper towel |
- Place the carcass in a large pot, (I use a pot with a built in colander) and fill it with just enough water to submerge the carcass.
- Add about 10 whole black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- Any coarse chopped root vegetables: I use celery (especially the tops), carrot, garlic and onion.
- Bring to a boil
- Set to simmer, lid on for 4-6 hours (barely simmer, you should see one or two bubbles at a time)
- Discard everything except the liquid.
- Strain the liquid into a large container or bowl. I put a paper towel or cheese cloth over a metal mesh strainer and drain through that.
- Let the stock cool uncovered in the refrigerator, fat will rise to the top and form a protective barrier making it safe from bacteria.
- Discard fat and place stock in containers for storage. I use mason jars or small and large ziplock freezer bags so I can store/freeze different quantities. Thawing out stock in a sealed freezer bag takes no time at all when submerged in a bowl of warm water.
