Broth is made by simmering meats and vegetables together. It can be served as is or strained.
You make a stock by using meat, poultry or fish bones to flavor the liquid. Often the bones are roasted first for more intense flavor. You also can add some of the meat trimmings along with carrots, celery and onion. Stocks make great soups and can be used as bases for sauces and gravies.
When you make your own stock, you control the salt, seasonings and even fat.
It’s also cost-effective because you are generally using inexpensive ingredients. For example, you can make chicken stock using backs, necks and wings, or use a whole, cut-up chicken and have the meat from it, too.
We adapted this basic chicken stock recipe from “How to Cook Everything: The Basics” by Mark Bittman (Wiley, $20).
In a large stockpot, put a 4-1/2-pound chicken (rinsed well and trimmed of excess or all fat), without giblets and with about 1-1/2 pounds of chicken parts such as the back, neck and wings.
Add two cut-up onions, five cut-up carrots and three cut-up celery ribs with leaves and toss in a bouquet garni of peppercorns, fresh thyme and parsley sprigs.
Cover with cool water (about 20 to 24 cups) several inches above the ingredients. Bring the mixture just to a boil; immediately reduce the heat to a simmer.
Partially cover and simmer (little bubbles should just break the surface) for about an hour without stirring; skim the foam and scum that rise to the top.
Having a clear, rich stock is a culinary achievement. The biggest no-no is allowing the mixture to boil, which will make the stock cloudy.
Remove the chicken after it’s cooked through. Keep the mixture simmering another 30 minutes to an hour to develop the flavor.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, and shred the meat to use in soup, salads or sandwiches.
Set a mesh colander over a large bowl or another stockpot, and strain the stock mixture. Discard the solids in the colander.
Cool the stock before refrigerating it by putting it in several small containers or bowls; do not leave it out more than 2 hours. Cool overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, remove and discard the layer of fat that has congealed at the top.
