Chicken Stock Broth

Is Chicken Stock Broth?

Technically Chicken Stock and Broth aren’t the same thing, though, they basically have all of the same ingredients. Stock, however, is more concentrated and thicker because of the added bones and the cooked down gelatin secreted from them and Broth usually gets it’s flavor from adding meat instead. So to be clear, Stock is made using cooked bones, broth has no bones and is made by using the meat only, instead. Various herbs, seasonings and vegetables can be added to each to flavor them up but other than that there virtually isn’t any other difference. These recipes are usually cooked an average of 3 to 4 hours but some recipes claim they can be done in as little as 30 minutes and as crazy as 12. The truth is there is no absolute way of doing it as long as the desired effect is reached. My recipe is called a Chicken Stock Broth because I use the tips from chicken wings. This way the tips, most would throw in the trash, don’t go to waste. And, because there is such a small amount of bone in them, it gives a nice happy medium base, between a Stock and a Broth, with plenty of flavor for any recipe that calls for Stock or Broth.

Chicken Stock Bones

Most restaurants will use raw Chicken Carcass’s for their Chicken Stock. But, unless you’re carving up your own boneless breasts and chicken thighs, they’re a little hard to come by. Though Restaurants purchase these frozen, by the case, you most likely won’t be able to find them at your grocery store. Though, a good butcher shop should be able to sell them to you, a good alternative is the wings. Most recipes will suggest that to you but I say, “humbug!” Wings are spendy and cost a lot more per pound than breast meat or chicken legs and thighs. So save the wings for other recipes and just use the tips. Wing tips have enough bone, meat and skin on them to flavor up and color any good Stock. I personally just add them to a zip lock back and store them in the freezer until I need to make some.

Chicken Stock Herbs and Seasonings

A good Chicken Stock or Broth should have these basic ingredients; Onion, Parsley, Thyme, Bay Leaves and Garlic. You go well over and beyond these or even cut back to the minimum Onion but these are the good makings for a good soup base or any other recipe that calls for Stalk or Broth. The addition of vegetables will make it more hearty, so you end up with more of Vegetable/Chicken Broth; which is great because it adds more flavor. Carrots, Celery and Leak are most commonly used; even Tomatoes, at times. But if you want to add some heat you can throw in all kinds of different peppers and other spices. In Asian cooking, it’s real common to crush ginger root and add that right along with the onion.

I mentioned that a good stalk is generally cooked for several hours and because of this there tends to be a lot of reduction in the stock. But don’t hesitate to add more water and cook longer if you’re wanting or needing more Chicken Stock. The picture below is my stock at the earliest stage of the process with all of the basic ingredients added that I’ve included in the list below. Feel free to add anything else to this recipe.

Be sure to watch this short Chicken Stock Video tutorial below and I’ll show you just how easy this is to make your self. Also be sure to look into any of my Cajun Recipes if you’re celebrating the upcoming Mardi Gras Holiday season.

Chicken Stock Broth Ingredients:

3 qt Water, approximately
1 lbs Chicken Bones, raw
1 Onion, cut in half
1/2 bunch Parsley
2 sprigs Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
2 Garlic Cloves
Salt and Pepper to taste, optional

This Chicken Stock Broth can last 3 to 4 days in your refrigerator.

Caprese Portobellos with Balsamic Glaze

The Best Caprese Portobellos

If you love Mushrooms and you love Caprese, you are absolutely going to love this Caprese Portobellos recipe because it combines the best of both worlds. Using Large Portobello mushroom caps gives a ton of surface area to cram in plenty of Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Fresh Basil. And, if you prepare your dish the way I show you how to do it, you’re whole world will change. So open your mind to other possibilities and I’ll show you how to make the best Mushroom Caprese.

What is Caprese Portobellos

To understand Caprese you must understand, first, that it is a traditional Italian recipe that usually breaks down to 3 basic ingredients: Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Fresh Basil. Many folks consider Caprese Antipasto ingredients and many Caprese Salad recipes exist because of the over all freshness the combination provides. My sources tell me that the real Caprese is just Buffalo Mozzarella, which is made from Buffalo milk and it’s a typical dish served in the Isle of Capri.

Normally, Caprese Portobellos is prepared and served with fresh Tomatoes but I am recommending my Marinated and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, instead, for several reasons. First, because roasted cherry tomatoes are awesome, so that’s just a no brainer, and second because you want to add olive oil to the mushrooms and the olive oil, marinating the cherry tomatoes, has garlic and fresh herbs roasted into it. So it really enhances the flavor, a ton. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, instead, that’s fine too but I highly recommend mixing a 1/4 cup of olive oil with some fresh chopped garlic and a pinch of salt, at the very least, and add that to the mushrooms.

Also, when it comes to the Balsamic Glaze, most recipes recommend a 1 to 4 ratio of Brown Sugar and Balsamic Vinegar. I don’t agree with this at all and I was trained to balance the bitter with more sweet. I would recommend a 1 to 1 ratio, instead but that’s entirely up to you. Bring it to boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook it for 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and practically caramelizes and you will have a perfect glaze.

Caprese Portobellos Ingredients:

4 to 6 Large Portobello Mushroom Caps
4 oz Cherry Tomatoes, marinated & roasted
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
6 Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
2 tbsp Butter, melted
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
Salt and Pepper, taste

Balsamic Glaze
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp Brown Sugar

Be sure to watch the short video tutorial for this Caprese Portobellos recipe and follow the recommendations in this post for a perfect dish.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pesto

Easy Grilled Lamb Chops with Pesto

I say these Grilled lamb Chops are easy to make because Lamb Chop recipes are simple and incredibly delicious, to boot. I’m telling you, if you’re a steak fan, a rack of lamb, prepared properly, will blow your mind. I, for one, now understand why there are so many historical stories about sacrificial lambs. Okay, I might not get the whole religion part but I get that giving up and slaughtering your own lamb truly is a sacrifice, if you’re not gettin’ any! I mean, COME ON! Lamb Chops are sooo tasty.

The Secret to Grilled Lamb Chops

When you’re preparing Grilled Lamb Chops, all you need to do is clean them up a bit. That means, trim the fat and remove the Silver Skin from the meat. This will keep them lean and less chewy to eat. If you want to get super fancy, you can French the bones as well but unless you’re serving the president, or someone that thinks they’re royalty, it really isn’t necessary. Plus, sucking the fat off the bones is one of the best things about eating Lamb Chops, so don’t deprive yourself of that. Go a head and let heart disease settle on in and enjoy yourself, for crying out loud.

Now, after you’ve cleaned the rack, you can Salt and Pepper and grill as is or cut it into Lamb Chop portions before you grill. Either way it will turn out the same, so it’s entirely up to you. You’re going to need a good Pesto and you can either buy it premade or you can try my recipe. I’ve listed the ingredients down below with a separate video tutorial but if you want to see the original post for that, CLICK HERE.

These Grilled Lamb Chops are great with the Pesto alone but if you’d like to have something to dip them in, you might want to look into my Tzatziki Sauce Recipe. It has a nice Greek Yogurt base that you’re going to love.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pesto Ingredients:

1 Rack of Lamb
2 tbsp of Pesto
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

Pesto Recipe
3 cups Basil Leaves, freshly packed
1/2 cup Almonds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 Garlic Cloves
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, ground
1/2 cup Olive oil
1 tsp Lemon Juice, (optional)

Be sure to watch both the Pesto and Grilled Lamb Chops video tutorials and I’ll show you just how easy these recipes are to make.