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Vývar (kuřecí/zeleninový)

COMPLETE STOCK MAKING GUIDE

Overview & Key Insights

Stock is the foundation of great cooking - a rich, savory liquid made by simmering bones, meat, and vegetables. While traditional methods take 4-6 hours, modern techniques can produce excellent results in just 45 minutes for chicken stock.

What Makes Great Stock

Stock quality comes from two key elements:

  • Flavor extraction from muscle fibers (happens quickly with proper technique)
  • Body development from collagen converting to gelatin (takes time, but can be supplemented)

The Science Behind It

  • Muscle meat provides flavor compounds
  • Connective tissue (collagen) converts to gelatin for body and richness
  • Bones provide structure but minimal flavor
  • Fat carries most flavor compounds - don't remove all of it
  • Grinding/chopping dramatically speeds flavor extraction

Key Takeaways

  • Chicken carcasses (backs, wings, necks) give the best flavor-to-body ratio
  • Grinding bones and scraps reduces cooking time from 4+ hours to 45 minutes
  • Adding commercial gelatin compensates for reduced simmering time
  • A vigorous simmer extracts more flavor than gentle simmering (contrary to classical French technique)
  • Stock should gel solid when chilled - if it doesn't, it lacks body

DO's and DON'Ts

DO:

  • Use chicken carcasses, backs, and wing tips for best results
  • Grind or chop bones into small pieces to speed extraction
  • Add commercial unflavored gelatin for quick body development
  • Maintain a brisk simmer for maximum flavor extraction
  • Strain through fine mesh and reduce to concentrate flavors
  • Save chicken parts in the freezer until you have enough for a batch
  • Remove fat layer after cooking (skim warm stock or refrigerate overnight)

DON'T:

  • Worry about perfect clarity - cloudy stock has more flavor
  • Over-skim during cooking - some fat equals flavor
  • Cook gelatin-supplemented stock longer than needed
  • Throw away chicken scraps - freeze them for stock
  • Use only bones - they provide little flavor
  • Reduce stock too far or gelatin breaks down

QUICK CHICKEN STOCK

Makes 2 quarts (1.9 L)

NOTE: This recipe also produces cooked chicken leg meat, which can be used in other recipes or saved for later use. Alternatively, replace the chicken legs with more backs and wingtips.

Ingredients (for shopping):

  • 1 ounce (28g) unflavored gelatin (4 packets; about 3 tablespoons/45ml) - želatina
  • 2 pounds (900g) skin-on chicken backs and wing tips, preferably from young chickens - kuřecí hřbety a špičky křídel
  • 2 pounds (900g) chicken legs - kuřecí stehna
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped - cibule
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped - mrkev
  • 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped - řapíkatý celer
  • 2 bay leaves - bobkový list
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) whole black peppercorns - černý pepř celý
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) fennel seeds - fenyklové semínko
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) coriander seeds - koriandrové semínko
  • 6 sprigs fresh parsley - stonků petržel naťová hladkolistá

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Pour 4 cups (950ml) water into a medium bowl and sprinkle with 1 ounce (28g) unflavored gelatin (želatina). Set aside until hydrated, about 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, chop 2 pounds (900g) chicken backs and wing tips (kuřecí hřbety a špičky křídel) with a cleaver into rough 2-inch (5cm) pieces, or cut up with poultry shears. Working in two or three batches, transfer chicken to a food processor and pulse until texture roughly approximates ground chicken, stopping if a particularly hard bone gets stuck on the blade.
  3. Transfer the ground chicken, 2 pounds (900g) chicken legs (kuřecí stehna), 1 chopped onion (cibule), 1 chopped carrot (mrkev), 2 chopped celery stalks (celer), 2 bay leaves (bobkový list), 2 tsp (10ml) peppercorns (černý pepř celý), 1 tsp (5ml) fennel seeds (fenyklové semínko), 1 tsp (5ml) coriander seeds (koriandrové semínko), and 6 parsley sprigs (petržel) to a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add cold water to just cover ingredients, about 2 quarts (1.9L). Add hydrated gelatin and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust heat to maintain brisk simmer, then skim off any foam and scum from surface and discard. Cook for 45 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep ingredients submerged. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  4. Using tongs, transfer chicken legs (kuřecí stehna) to a bowl and set aside to cool. Remove and discard any large pieces of bone and vegetables from stock. Strain stock through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl and discard solids. Return stock to pot, bring to rolling simmer, and reduce to 2 quarts (1.9L), about 10 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, pick meat off chicken legs (kuřecí stehna) and reserve for another use. Discard bones and skin.
  6. When stock has finished reducing, allow to rest until excess fat and scum form distinct layer on surface, about 15 minutes, then skim off with ladle—discard fat or save for another use. Alternatively, refrigerate stock overnight and remove solid fat from top.

Storage: Stock keeps in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for at least 3 months.

BASIC VEGETABLE STOCK

Makes 2 quarts (1.9 L)

Ingredients (for shopping):

  • 1 ounce (28g) unflavored gelatin (4 packets; about 3 tablespoons/45ml) - želatina
  • 2 large onions, roughly chopped - cibule
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped - mrkev
  • 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped - celer
  • 1 large leek, trimmed - pórek
  • 8 ounces (225g) mushroom stems and scraps and/or whole mushrooms - houby/zbytky hub
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, quartered - jablka (Granny Smith)
  • 2 bay leaves - bobkový list
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) whole black peppercorns - černý pepř celý
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) fennel seeds - fenyklové semínko
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) coriander seeds - koriandrové semínko
  • 6 sprigs fresh parsley - petržel

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Pour 4 cups (950ml) of water into a medium bowl and sprinkle with 1 ounce (28g) unflavored gelatin (želatina). Set aside until hydrated, about 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, put 2 chopped onions (cibule), 2 chopped carrots (mrkev), 4 chopped celery stalks (celer), 1 trimmed leek (pórek), 8 ounces (225g) mushroom stems (houby/zbytky hub), 2 quartered apples (jablka), 2 bay leaves (bobkový list), 2 tsp (10ml) peppercorns (černý pepř celý), 1 tsp (5ml) fennel seeds (fenyklové semínko), 1 tsp (5ml) coriander seeds (koriandrové semínko), and 6 parsley sprigs (petržel) in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add cold water to just cover ingredients. Add hydrated gelatin and water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Adjust heat to maintain slow, steady simmer and cook for 1 hour, adding hot water as necessary to keep ingredients submerged.
  3. Strain stock through fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into large bowl and discard solids. Return stock to pot, bring to a simmer, and reduce to 2 quarts (1.9L), about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Storage: Stock keeps in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

INGREDIENT GLOSSARY (English / Czech)

  • želatina \= unflavored gelatin
  • kuřecí hřbety a špičky křídel \= chicken backs and wing tips
  • kuřecí stehna \= chicken legs
  • cibule \= onion
  • mrkev \= carrot
  • Řapíkatý celer \= celery
  • pórek \= leek
  • houby/zbytky hub \= mushrooms/mushroom scraps
  • jablka \= apples
  • bobkový list \= bay leaves
  • černý pepř celý \= whole black peppercorns
  • fenyklové semínko \= fennel seeds
  • koriandrové semínko \= coriander seeds
  • petržel \= parsley

STORAGE TIPS

  • Ice cube trays: Freeze stock in cubes for small amounts (pan sauces)
  • Vacuum-sealed bags: Freeze flat in quart bags - defrosts quickly under hot water
  • Plastic containers: Standard deli containers work well
  • Tip: Save all chicken scraps in freezer bags until you have enough for a batch