The secret to a non-cloudy chicken stock
Don’t cook it too quickly – and skim, skim, skim, says our expert culinary panel
TL;DR
- Cloudy stock is caused by cooking too quickly or fat boiling back into the liquid.
- Use a large, heavy pan and cook stock on a very gentle simmer, not a boil.
- Skim the surface diligently, especially when simmering bones, to remove scum.
- Starting with cold water and bringing it to a boil very slowly is recommended.
- Straining through a fine sieve and adding a tablespoon of lemon juice can clarify cloudy stock.
- Cooking stock in the oven overnight at a low temperature (around 90C) produces very clear stock due to indirect heat.
- Freezing stock and then defrosting it through a muslin-lined sieve results in crystal clarity.