Preview: Chicken Short Stock

by Tony M in Rouxbe Recipes

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Step 1: Preparing Your Mise en Place

Preparing Your Mise en Place

To start your mise en place, first prepare the mirepoix by roughly chopping the onion, celery, carrot and leek (keep the leek separate, as it will be added later).

Next, using the heel of a large, heavy chef’s knife, carefully chop up the bones. Make sure to use a heavy European Chefs' Knife or cleaver to chop through bones. You could easily chip or damage the cutting edge of thinner, lighter-weight knives, such as Japanese-style knives. You could also ask your butcher to do this for you.

  • 1 small onion
  • 1 rib celery
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 leek
  • 4 lb chicken bones (backs and necks)

Step 2: Caramelizing the Bones and Mirepoix

Caramelizing the Bones and Mirepoix

To start, heat a large, stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and once hot, add the bones in a single layer. You may need to cook the bones in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Let the bones brown without touching them for a couple of minutes. Then flip them over and continue to cook on the other side until nicely caramelized. As the bones cook, the hot fat will splatter and be quite messy. To avoid this, you could roast the bones in the oven. However, caramelizing in a pan is much faster. Once the bones are caramelized on both sides, transfer to a plate and continue with the remaining bones.

When finished, set aside and drain most of the excess fat from the pan. Add the mirepoix and cook until nicely browned. Toss occasionally, and once softened and caramelized, deglaze with the white wine. Once the wine has reduced, transfer the vegetables to a medium pot.

Add the reserved bones and cold stock to the pot. You can use water if you like, but the stock will add additional richness and flavor. The liquid should cover the bones by about 2 inches. Let simmer over medium heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

  • 1 to 2 tbsp grapeseed or vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 L/qt chicken stock (or water)

Step 3: Cooking the Short Stock

Cooking the Short Stock

As the short stock comes up to a simmer, skim off any excess fat and impurities that rise to the surface.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, skim one last time to remove any excess fat. Add the bouquet garni.

  • 8 to 10 parsley stems
  • 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp whole, black peppercorns

Step 4: Finishing the Stock

Finishing the Stock

Once the stock is ready, carefully strain it through a sieve. For an even finer stock, strain it again through a sieve lined with cheesecloth.

The stock can be cooled over an ice bath and stored in the refrigerator or freezer; or, you can use it immediately to form the base for many great dishes and sauces.

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How to Make Short Stock

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Manille S

What's it for?

I don't quite understand the difference between a short stock and a regular stock...it says here it's great in a pinch if you don't have stock on hand, then tells you to boil the stock bones in...stock.
Am I missing something?

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Difference Between Short Stock and Regular Stock

There is really no difference, they are both deliciously flavored liquids. Short stocks are usually cooked for a shorter period of time with the ingredients being cut smaller, so you can extract more flavor in a shorter period of time.

You can absolutely use water to make a short stock. We used stock as our liquid just to show that it is a great way to enhance a store bought stock.

I usually always use stock to make my short stock just for that added layer of flavor and richness. But again, water will work just fine.

Janet B

HOw much Oil?

The instructions tell you to add the oil, but I do not see where the amount is given?

Kimberley S
Rouxbe Staff

Oil

Hi there,

The recipe has been updated. You can check out the Short Stock Lesson in our Cooking School rouxbe.com/school/sections/17/objectives There is great information in all of our Stock-Making Lessons.

Happy Cooking!

Bernadette T

Very good

I made this today. Perfect b/c its raining and will be raining till Monday!! Kept the kitchen nice and warm.

The stock is very good. I'm going to save it so I can make French Onion Soup.

Patrick O

More questions for clarification

Hi Dawn, when you mention using this recipe to enhance store bought stock, do you mean broth? meaning this is a method to improve broth by turning it into a stock?
I have a few litres of Nonna's Chicken stock in the freezer, some of which I would like to turn into a dark stock, rather than starting from scratch. Would this recipe/technique work for that? In my warped sense of logic, I put these liquids in this order of intensity.
1.Clear broth or Bouillon
2.Broth (IE good quality store bought such as Pacific or a homemade version somewhere between 1 and 3)
3. Stock, either from scratch or short stocks made from broth with or without caramelizing the bones/mirepoix but more concentrated than broth.
4. Dark Stock (caramelized bones and/or mirepoix)and reduced to a point that it will solify when cold.
5. Glace (IE. Veal Demi)Dark stock reduced by about half.

I'm really getting into making stocks lately. Its such a simple way to add great flavour to a dish either as part of it like a soup or in a sauce to go with it.
Cheers!

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: More questions for clarification

You are totally on the right thinking path Patrick. So glad that you are really getting into making stocks. It really does change ones way of cooking and thinking doesn't it.

As for your question, yes you can darken and/or increase the flavor of your Nonna Chicken Stock by making a short stock with it. In fact we just did that the other day with some stock we had in the freezer.

The only other thing that I might add is that the order you have as far as flavor goes could be adjusted or tweaked. By this I mean that #2 Broths and #3 Stocks could be the same number...as broths can be very, if not more, flavorful than stocks.

An example of this is broth based soups, the broth is so flavorful that it is sometimes the entire soup (no garniture at all).

Anyhoo, keep up the stock making and happy cooking!!

Patrick O

Thanks Dawn,

I didn't realize that there was this big grey area between broths and stocks. Then again, with my technical background I seem to see things more in black and white ;)

Well that settles it then, my weekend project is a "dark short stock" using the Nonna's stock as a base.
Lately i've notice a big price increase in boneless/skinless chicken breasts so I've been buying the bone-in variety and deboneing them myself. Now I've got several lbs of bones in my freezer for times like these.
Cheers!

Jorge A

Chicken Short Stock

Unfortunately, I am unable to find chicken backs here in this Alabama town. Could I use chicken wings? I guess I could use thighs with the back attached, and detach the back. This sounds expensive.

Any suggestions?

Jorge in Alabama (sigh...)

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: Chicken Short Stock

The wings will work, in fact, most any chicken bones will work Jorge. For a darker, richer short stock you could even roast the wings in a hot oven, until golden brown.

Jorge A

Roasting Chicken

When I first started looking at the recipe, I saw Roasting a chicken with a V shaped rack. I have not been able to find it again. Can you help?

Jorge

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: Roasting Chicken and a V-Rack

I am not sure exactly what you are looking for. Here is the lesson on Enhnaced Roast Chicken - this lesson covers using a V-rack. Hope this helps!

Jorge A

Chicken in Brine

I have been told that brining a chicken will make the chicken extremely salty. Any thoughts?

Jorge

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: Chicken in Brine

This is a thread about Short Stock, so I will point you to the thread on "How to Brine", in the cooking school. I guess the fact that we did a lesson on it says that we believe in brining and it's benefits.

I also should say that, while brining does add salt to the meat, the meat requires less salt topically when cooked. Hope this helps!

Tad S

A Fan

I am definitely a fan of short stocks. I've made lots of stocks and have devoted many hours to a just cause; however, I LOVE the shorter cooking time and the amazing flavor! My first short stock was made with a store bought broth but today's will be water only. I want to control the sodium better in my final dish which is easier to do if I use water.

Keep up the great work Rouxbe. My 10 year old wants to be a chef and your lessons and quizzes are the best thing to her!

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