How to How to make your chicken work for you

Date Published:

07/01/2008

Roasting a chicken needn't be difficult. Here's a simple step by step guide to preparing the perfect bird, from choosing it to using leftovers to make stock and gravy

Making stock

Gather your bones. Take them off people's plates - don't be shy! Strip off any meat and set aside for leftovers. If you have the giblets, you only really want the neck. That needs to be roasted in the oven along with any uncooked bones and carcasses at a high temperature for fifteen to twenty minutes before adding to the stock pot.

Take a large pan and put in the bones, skin, one peeled onion cut in half, one scrubbed carrot broken in two, a clean stick of celery broken in two, five whole peppercorns, some parsley stalks, a bay leaf, all covered with cold water. You do not want the stock to boil.

Heat the ring or gas up to a simmer temperature – the lowest setting – and then put the pan on. Leave it for three to five hours: it's not an exact science. When it is done, the bones should be brittle as if the process has extracted all of the gelatine. The liquid should be clear and golden with a thicker viscosity.

While the stock is still warm, scoop all the bones and vegetables out then strain the stock liquid through – ideally – muslin into another bowl. Leave to cool. Well done, that's your stock.

When it is cool, skim off any fat using a big spoon, as the fat will make the stock cloudy. You can use the stock straight away. One tip is to boil the stock until it is reduced and then it will cool into a gelatinous thick solid and then you pour it into ice cube trays. This makes individual homemade stock.