Homemade chicken stock rules the roost

Cooking with chicken bouillon cubes or canned stock is the equivalent of drinking freeze-dried coffee and calling it fresh ground. According to Luke Shanahan, co-author of “Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food,” broth made from bones has much more flavor and build healthy joints.

“The bones are full of glycosaminoglycans that help your body build connective tissue in your joints,” he said.

“Deep Nutrition” was published earlier this year by he and his wife, Dr. Cate Shanahan.

“Homemade stock tastes a lot better than store-bought and it uses bones that might otherwise go to waste,” he said.

On Kaua‘i Kitchen this week learn how to make chicken stock from scratch (no pun intended). We visit Shanahan at home in Kalaheo where he guides us through this simple process.

This recipe was adapted from a recipe found in the book, “Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy.”

Shanahan omitted onion and garlic in order to make a milder tasting stock.

Chicken stock

Servings: 61/3 cups

1 chopped carrot

1 chopped onion

2 sliced celery stalks

1 sliced leek

2 tablespoons oil

Sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

3 peeled garlic cloves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 white flour

21/4 pounds raw chicken bones

Put carrot, onion, celery stalks and leek in a large pan with oil and cook over medium heat until golden. Add a sprig of thyme, bay leaf,  garlic cloves, tomato paste and flour. Cook stirring for a few minutes. Add raw chicken bones, cover with plenty of cold water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and skim bubbles. Simmer for one hour then pass through a strainer. 

Adjust seasoning. Allow to cool in the refrigerator with the lid off. When cool skim fat from surface. Return to stove to reduce by one-third the volume if a more intense flavor is desired. Can be stored in the freezer.