Russian Style Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe

        My chicken stock recipe is classic Russian way to make stock (куриный бульон). I learned the technique from professionals a long time ago. So simple dish but has so many details what is improves the taste of the final product. Chicken broth can make a great meal when we have a cold at wintertime, just add hard-boiled egg and parsley and a simple remedy is ready for our loved ones.

        The most important part of the recipe, of course, quality of chicken. I learned when I was leaving in Russia and was buying chickens on farmer markets than older chicken than more flavorful stock but meat is very tough. If you have to choose a rooster or hen, take a hen for stock. These days where I live, I don’t have farmer market choices. Just mention maybe someone needs this to know.

       We don’t have to use a whole chicken for stock. I collect wings tips, bones, and other parts of the chicken that can’t use in other dishes and freeze it. Before using chicken meat for the stock, I suggest completely thaw it. Broth made from frozen chicken without thawing much less quality and it is very noticeable. I tried this short cut and was very unhappy with the result.

Another important tip to know. If you looking more for the quality of cooked meat from the stock, put meat in boiling water. Protein outside the piece of meat makes coating and meat not release juices much. However, the quality of stock will be less but meat tastier. It up to you which way to choose.

2.2 pounds (1 kg) of chicken

0.8 gallon (3-liter) of water

1 large onion

2 large carrots

2 stalk of celery

Salt

5-6 peppercorns

*Another great addition is slightly roasted parsley root, parsnip and parsley stems. Parsley steams add 15 minutes before stock done.

      How much water to meat and bone amount to use? I checked my Russian textbook for cooks and the best proportion for clear broth is meat and bones 2.2 pounds (1 kg) and 0.8 gallons (3-liter) water. I honestly, never follow this proportion. With experience, everything comes out naturally. Little less little more, how you like and depends on our budget or availability ingredients. Chicken broth can be a very budget dish and we can use less meat and more bones. We have enough flavor to make a great soup and meat use for another dish.

*I need to mention one very important rule, try don’t add water in the middle cooking of stock. If you have to add water, it needs to be boiling water but better don’t do it because it will affect the taste of the stock.

       The best pots I like for a stock are enameled cast iron pot (Dutch oven) or glazed clay pot. Choose a taller pot to make broth. Cast iron and clay hold temperature so well equally and as a result, we have the great flavorful broth. You maybe don’t believe but stock taste depends on the quality of the pot we use. I learned it a long time ago. The heavy pots work the best to make any stock.

1. Chicken should be completely thawed. Wash chicken and dry with paper towel. Remove all feathers.

If feathers so fine and many, easiest way just burn with a cigarette lighter or candle.

2. Remove chicken breast and use in other dishes.

Chicken breast cooks faster than bones and dark meat, usually so I don’t using it for stock.

3. Cut chicken on pieces. Chop legs and wings tubular bones in half, so bones release collagen well.

*Collagen is what makes the broth looks like jello after refrigeration. I just recently watched the program, how important collagen for our nails, skin, and hair. One doctor published a book to explain how important collagen in our health and he sells collagen in powder as a supplement. So, in my opinion, great to have old fashion broth in our menu sometimes.

 We don’t have to use a whole chicken for stock as I did on the photos. I collect wings tips, bones and other parts of the chicken after I cut out chickens for other dishes and freeze it. When ready to make a broth use leftovers. We can use to make a stock many parts of the hen. We can use a heart, neck, gizzard… The exception is liver, liver don’t use to make a stock.

 4. Chicken place in cold water and bring gradually to boil and reduce heat to very slow boiling. Keep removing skim as much as possible (foam on top of the surface). Don’t add salt yet! If we add salt at the same time with meat, salt soluble protein from meat makes more foam but the most important meat will lose more protein.

I like to simplify and place chicken bones and meat at the same time to the pot. Of course, better to separate meat from bones and add to the broth later after bones already start cooking. Just little tip to improve more taste of the meat in soup, if you would like to perfect it. However, I personally don’t practice it because it takes additional time.

5. Slightly roast onion and carrot on the oil-free skillet. It improves the flavor of vegetables and the taste of our broth.

6. Add salt, roasted onion, roasted carrot, celery, peppercorns to boiling water. If you are going to use broth in cooking (sources, soups), don’t salt much. Cook broth with a very slow boiling. I start to check meat in 45 minutes. If the meat comes out of bones, the broth is ready. Time depends on many factors, how intensive boiling, quality of pot, and of course quality and age of chicken.

Very important rule, try don’t add water in the middle of cooking. If you have to add water, it needs to be boiling water but better don’t do it because it will affect the taste of the stock.

        Discard vegetables and bones. I like to separate meat from bones for easy eating in a soup. Meat is fully cooked and for the best taste, I like to keep it separate from the broth. I like to make broth and let it stay in the refrigerator overnight. The next day I remove from the top fat easy and use it for sauteing vegetables for my soup. Some people throw fat out and use vegetable oil for the same purpose. It is personal preferences but fat has great flavor and I prefer to use it.

        I am going to share what I learned a long time ago. I found a detailed explanation in my Russian textbook for cooks and try my best to translate why better to saute root vegetables before adding to soups. If we saute root vegetables in oil (fat) before adding to soup, flavors hold in oil and not steaming away. By sauteing onion we reduce harsh taste (amount of disulfides) in the vegetable. Tomato paste and carrots better saute in oil (fat) before adding to the soup too. Lycopene (red color of tomato paste) and carotene absorbed in oil and make soup’s liquid pretty. Important to saute carrot before adding to soup for another reason, this simple step helps transition carotin to vitamin A.

        All my life I make my chicken stock with bay leaves. And just recently learned – better make chicken stock without bay leaves. One of the chefs online mentions than if we add bay leaves to chicken broth it overpowered the flavor of the chicken. I agree! So, no more bay leaves in my chicken stock.