Oven Chicken Broth

Anyone who reads here knows that I am an avid broth/stock maker, often having huge pots of broth or a crock pot of bones simmering away on my stove and counter, sometimes for days. So...what IS the difference between stock and broth? OH! Don't even go there! Seriously! For every world famous chef who gives their definitive definition there is an opposing one who argues just as vehemently for their own understanding! For me, I think it's silly to argue about. My thought is something like this, and it's rather British in nature, stock is the long cooked thing we generally in the real food movement call "bone broth", and broth is a flavored stock after you have dressed it all up with your savories and herbs.

Most of the time when I am making broth I am making it with the idea of freezing the finished product for ongoing use, but at times I am simply cooking a chicken for single meal use, such as the chicken and biscuits I'm making for family dinner tonight, and I make what I refer to as Oven Broth. I  made this up yesterday and thought I'd give it a quick word of instruction.

Place your thawed chicken in a deep pot that will take a tight fitting cover, like this Lodge Cast Iron pot, having sprinkled the carcass liberally with salt and pepper, and slathered the top with butter. Place in along the sides a couple of chunked up carrots, several stalks of celery, and a medium sized sliced onion. Toss in two bay leaves, a small handful of peppercorns and good salt, and then fill the pot with fresh, cold water up to about half way. Put the lid on and let it slow roast away in a 275 degree oven throughout the whole day.

This is what it looked like after cooking for about 6 to 7 hours; aromatic and falling off the bone. After it had cooled for an hour or so I simply strained the broth, collected the meat off the bones ready for the next day, and put it all in the frig.

Of course the bones where stuck in the freezer stock bags for future use in a large pot of stock.

Easy, and ready to make your meal.