Simple Chicken Broth

Description

The cooking time for the chicken will depend on several factors, such as the age of the hen (the older it is, the longer it takes to cook, from 1 hour to 2 hours). A frying chicken is also suitable for making broth, and it will cook much faster than a hen, about 40 minutes. You can buy a broth chicken (they are huge, weighing 2 kg or more), which makes a wonderful broth, but they need to be boiled for 2 to 3 hours. If you want to end up with tasty meat, you should salt it as soon as it comes to a boil; if you want a beautiful broth, salt it at the end of cooking. When the water boils, it’s preferable not to cover the pot with a lid, as this will keep the broth clear. About the foam: The foam is protein. If you wash the chicken well before cooking, there won’t be any dirt on it. So, whether you want to skim it off or not is up to you. The protein will coagulate and settle to the bottom anyway. If the broth is being prepared for someone who is ill, it’s not recommended to remove the foam, as it makes the broth more nourishing. Sometimes the chicken can be tasteless, in which case part of the salt can be replaced with a chicken broth cube to enhance the flavor. Adding onion also gives the broth extra flavor. It can be chopped into small cubes and added midway through the cooking process. Carrots are best for broth when sautéed; simply boiled carrots don't add much. Carrots release color, flavor, and vitamins only when sautéed, so don’t overcook them—just lightly sauté and add them at the very end of cooking.