TORI CHINTAN

// MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS

All chicken, clear stock.

2 pounds chicken feet

1 (5- to 6-pound) whole chicken

8 cups water (or a 2:1 water-to-bones ratio, using volume)

2 cups thinly sliced skin-on ginger

1 (12 x 12-inch) piece kombu

TO PREPARE

  1. Blanch the chicken feet: In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot, arrange the feet and add enough cool water to just cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water reaches a boil, remove from the heat and dump out the water.

  2. Cut the chicken: With the tip of a sharp knife, cut the wings off and place them in a stockpot or pressure cooker vessel. Remove the breast meat by guiding your knife along both sides of the cartilage at the end of the breastbone. Reserve the breast meat for another use (such as the toppings in the Lemon Chicken Paitan). Turn the chicken breast side down. Cut lengthwise down the center of the chicken, separating the thighs, to split the chicken into quarters.

  3. Tightly pack the chicken parts, including the skin and bones, into the pot. The goal here is for the bones to remain relatively still while they cook, not roll around. Arrange the blanched feet in a tight formation on top of the chicken. If you have the space in your fridge, place the whole pot in there to chill for 1 hour. Why? To let those chicken feet gel together and form a sort of raft on top of the bones. The raft will float on the whole surface of the pot. If you simply don’t have the space in your fridge to do this, just watch your stock carefully as it comes up to temp to ensure that it never boils. This will allow the feet to leach the collagen to seal the pot, which will keep oxygen out. The lack of oxygen is the key to a beautiful golden stock.

  4. Remove the pot or vessel from the fridge and fill it with just enough water to cover, about 8 cups—the ideal ratio is 2:1 water to bones; you don’t want to drown them.

STOVETOP METHOD

  1. This is the most common method for making stock and can have incredible results, but you must keep a close eye to ensure you do not burn the stock, which is very easy to do. If the heat reaches 200°F or higher too fast, your stock will burn and smell faintly of rubber tires. Your goal is to raise the heat slowly and maintain a slow, steady simmer, which will yield a rich, clean stock. Use your temperature gauge on the pot to keep a watch on it.

  2. Affix the temperature gauge to the side of the pot and heat to medium. You do not want to see bubbles or steam coming off the pot, or bones rolling around. You are looking for molten stillness. Bring the broth to 190 to 200°F. Don’t rush this process; it should take about an hour to get the pot to the right temperature. In raising the temperature slowly, you will see the chicken feet begin to release the fat, which will eventually “seal” the pot, trapping in oxygen and steam. Reduce the temperature to 190°F and you should see what we call a low bubble, or a few bubbles but not a boil. A filmy brown foam will begin to rise to the top at this point—ignore it. Don’t skim the stock. Trust me, you want the foam. It has essential amino acids in it, plus it acts as a raft to help clarify the stock for the next 30 to 45 minutes. When you start to see a layer of the fat coming off the bones and feet, cover the pot to keep oxygen out (oxygen will oxidize your stock, giving it an unappealing dingy color).

  3. Continue simmering at a low bubble of 180 to 190°F for 6 hours. No stirring, ever.

  4. While the broth is cooking, prepare a large bowl or container (or several smaller bowls/containers) to chill the broth in, and clear space in your refrigerator.

  5. When the broth has reached a rich golden color, your entire house will smell like incredible chicken soup. At this point, when you (carefully) taste the hot broth, it should have a lick-your-lips, pure-chicken quality (or it should read 4 to 5 Brix on a refractometer, if you have one). It should taste of chicken first, not water. If your stock tastes like water first, give it another hour at 200 to 210°F to reduce a little. Don’t let this stock cook longer than 6 hours or it will begin to reduce, lose its clarity, and the color will become less vibrant.

  6. Strain your stock into the prepared bowl or container, and then add the ginger and kombu. Reserve the bones for tori paitan broth. Allow the ingredients to steep in the broth for about 40 minutes at room temperature, then strain the ginger and kombu out and discard. Cover the broth and chill in the refrigerator until it is totally solid and gelatinous, a minimum of 3 to 4 hours or overnight.

  7. When the broth is totally chilled and a thick layer of fat has formed on top, use a spoon to skim off the fat and reserve it for making Infused Chicken Fat.

  8. The chintan will last 1 week in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.

PRESSURE COOKER METHOD

  1. Grab your packed vessel from the fridge and add enough water to cover. Lock the top and set your cooker on high pressure for 90 minutes. The stock will reach just around 210°F and the high pressure will move the process along three times faster than the stovetop method. Remember to allow the steam to release naturally, instead of forcing it (which will bring the broth to a rapid boil and disturb the clarity). When the steam has fully dissipated, the top lock will release so you can open and behold your beautiful golden stock.

  2. While the broth is cooking, prepare a large bowl or container (or several smaller bowls/containers) to chill the broth in, and clear space in your refrigerator.

  3. Carefully taste the broth. It should have a lick-your-lips, pure-chicken quality (or read 4 to 5 Brix on a refractometer, if you have one). Your chicken stock should have a golden clear color and should taste of chicken first, not water. If your stock is too light, strain the bones out, place the stock back in the pot, set the open cooker to sauté and allow the stock to reduce for no more than 20 minutes.

  4. Strain your stock into the prepared bowl or container and then add the ginger and kombu. Reserve bones for the Tori Paitan. Allow the ingredients to steep in the broth for about 40 minutes at room temperature, then strain the ginger and kombu out and discard. Cover the broth and chill in the refrigerator until it is totally solid and gelatinous, a minimum of 3 to 4 hours or overnight.

  5. When the broth is totally chilled and a thick layer of fat has formed on top, use a spoon to skim off the fat and reserve it for making Infused Chicken Fat.

  6. The chintan will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.

Stockpot Note

If using the stovetop method, use a large (8- to 12-quart) stockpot with a heavy bottom, if possible—the taller and skinnier it is, the better, as it limits the broth’s exposure to air and helps create a delicious fat seal on top.

Chicken Bones Note

Use organic hens if possible, as they are more plump and have more delicious fat. Chicken feet can be procured at many butchers and Asian groceries. You can have your butcher quarter your chicken for you, but be sure they give you the whole bird. You want the spine and skin as well, as they add flavor and collagen to the broth. Finally, don’t be afraid of blood; it helps clarify the stock and makes it sweet. If you see it in the bones or carcass, it’s okay!