I must be crazy...

[crowdog66]

... I'm actually trying to make chicken soup stock. From fresh chickens and everything. Me, who is uncertain as to what the term "simmer" technically means.



The Recipe

5 lbs of chicken = 2 whole chickens cut up (meat for the soup)
2 stalks celery
2 carrots
1 onion
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole thyme leaves
2 bay leaves

Place the chicken pieces in a stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 - 55 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and reserve. Let the chicken cool, while the chicken is cooling off add all remaining "stock" ingredients above into the cooking water.

Once the chicken is cool clean the meat from the bird. Placing bones, skin and scraps in a large bowl. Once you have cleaned the chicken meat reserve this for your soup. Return the chicken bones, fat and scrapes to the cooking liquid or "stock" and simmer for 2 hours. Periodically skim off the foam as it rises to the top of your pot. When finished cooking, strain the broth and refrigerate for a few hours. Any fat in the broth will congeal at the top and can be easily strained off. Your stock is now ready for use or for the freezer.


This is a merging of two separate recipes I found on the internet. Hopefully it works! The chicken is at the "simmer" stage even as I type. (And for the record, the "foam" that you skim off the top is extremely scummy. Ewww.)

EDITED to add: A random quiz result:


Which OS are You?

Perhaps this will help me make better soup...?

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_vii_/]

Simmer = boil, and then reduce to low heat. You should continue to see tiny bubbles, but not as big as if it were still boiling on high.

Good luck! :)

[crowdog66.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you... that's what I figured. George and I were having a rather heated (pun intended) discussion about the exact definition. Glad to see I was right! :-D

[matrixrefugee.livejournal.com]

I was about to say, don't feel bad: I'm completely clueless in the kitchen, and thus I'm fuzzy about the meaning of "simmer".

[nightdog-barks.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you've got it down!
:-)

You might like to try making tortilla soup one time -- just make this recipe, then about 15 minutes before you're going to serve it, add about 4 or 5 corn tortillas, cut up, plus the juice of one lime, and some chopped-up fresh cilantro. Oh, and if you want the soup to be spicy, you can also add a minced fresh serrano or jalapeno pepper.

Really easy and VERY tasty!