Well Strained - Chicken Soup Stock

I don't get sick often, but have caught a dreaded summer cold.  Since it's raining today and my throat is sore, I've decided that it is a perfect Chicken Soup day.

If you know J, you'll know that he is VERY particular about his soup.  With the exception of French Onion Soup - he won't eat anything but a clear broth soup.  I actually strain my soup (twice) so that there are no 'smeglies' floating in it for him.  J's family can attest to the fact that as a kid he would fish out anything resembling a vegetable and line them up around the edge of his bowl.

My stock simmers for hours, but is never brought to a boil.  Boiling will result in a cloudier stock.  It's a running joke in our family that J doesn't like cloudy soup.

Despite J's clear broth issues, we are a soup loving family.  As a kid, I took a thermos of soup to school daily.   Whether it is my Mom, J and me or J's family, soup is in regular rotation on our dinner menus.  In the winter, it's a given once a week.  Our soup is always home-made.  Never from a can or even worse - a package.

When I was working, I'd watch my co-workers warm their canned soup (it was a quick and relatively healthy lunch for them) and my mouth would water.  I remember buying a can of a healthy chicken soup and looking forward to enjoying it at lunch.  I also remember throwing it out and going to buy lunch because it tasted so terrible.  I'm a soup snob!  I proudly admit it.

This is my recipe for a classic chicken stock.

Chicken Soup Stock

1 package of Chicken Backs/Necks or 4 Thighs (see notes below)
1 medium Carrot, washed but not peeled
1 small Onion, cut in half but with the peel left on
2 Celery ribs, with leaves, washed and but into 3 inch long pieces
10-15 black pepper corns (whole)
2 Bay Leafs
1 sprig Thyme
1 medium garlic clove (peeled, but left whole)
2 litres cold water
Salt to taste

Add all ingredients to a large stock pot.  (I use a Le Creuset Enamelled Cast Iron pot.)  Place on stove top to simmer.  Do not let it boil.  Simmer for 8-10 hours.  After 5-6 hours, taste the stock to check that you've added enough salt and season as required.  After 8-10 hours - strain into a large bowl or another pot and enjoy.

Notes:

• When finished, your stock will be clear with a slight brown tint from the onion skins.  It will look and taste amazing!
• If you are using chicken thighs instead of the bones, remove the chicken after 8-10 hours and let cool slightly then remove meat from bone and reserve for your stock.
• Turkey backs/necks/thighs or the remains of your Thanksgiving dinner can be used in place of chicken.
• I start the stock by adding 1 teaspoon of salt then add more as required.  This ensures that you don't over-salt.  Remember, the flavours will intensify as the stock simmers.
• Don't add your noodles or pasta to the stock as it is cooking.  You won't be able to strain the stock if you do and the starch from the pasta will change the colour and consistency of your stock, not to mention that you'll have over cooked pasta.  Finally, it's just wrong (in my opinion).
• This stock can be served with the meat from the bones and pasta or with Beef Tortellini and a few grates of Pamigiano-Reggiano. 
• I also use this stock as the basis for my Wonton Soup and promise to post my wonton recipe and instructions for adding additional seasoning in a future post.