Buzz
After years of considering it, I’ve finally become a member of Costco. I mainly joined for the affordable dog food and Diet Coke, though I can't deny the allure of $5 rotisserie chickens played a part in my decision. I’ve always loved that chicken. It gives me four meals—five if you count the leg I devour immediately in the car, and six if you include the stock I make from the carcass. The stock is made in the microwave, and it tastes incredible.
Stock, also known as 'bone broth,' is simple to make: Submerge the bones in water, season with salt, and add some vegetables to enhance the flavor. (I also toss in a little vinegar to draw out the collagen for that silky texture.) Heat the water to extract flavor (and the collagen from the bones). It’s that easy.
Typically, stock is made on the stove in a large pot, simmering for an hour or more. But there’s no rule against using the microwave to heat the water. Microwaves are excellent at heating liquids, as I’ve pointed out before—it’s essentially their specialty.
Microwave ovens come with magnetrons, devices designed to emit electromagnetic (microwave) waves, not to be confused with transformers. These waves vibrate at an incredibly fast rate—around a billion times every second—which causes the water molecules in your food to spin in alignment with the magnetic field. This high-speed rotation increases their temperature, ultimately heating the food.
How to prepare soup stock in the microwave
Making stock in the microwave is quicker and just as tasty, in my opinion. In fact, I might even prefer the microwave method, simply because people tend to overcook stock on the stove. (Stock shouldn’t get that dark and cloudy.)
All you need is some chicken bones (whether it's a whole carcass or various pieces like legs, wings, or whatever you have), aromatic plant parts, salt, and a splash of vinegar. The plant ingredients are up to you—traditional choices like carrots, onions, garlic, and bay leaves work well, but you can use whatever you have available in your fridge.
Simple Microwave Chicken Stock recipe
Ingredients for the recipe:
- - 1 chicken carcass (remove the meat, but keep the skin, fat, and any other parts that aren't meat. For an extra flavorful broth, use a rotisserie chicken carcass.)
- 1/4 of a large onion
- 1 medium-sized carrot, broken into 2-3 sections
- 2 smashed garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 teaspoons of Diamond Kosher salt (use half the amount if using table salt)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Water, enough to cover the ingredients
Combine all ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl and pour enough water to fully submerge them. Microwave at full power for 10 minutes if the chicken carcass was refrigerated, or 15 minutes if it was frozen. Once done, carefully remove the larger pieces of bone and vegetables with tongs, then strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve. You can enjoy it right away, or let it chill and remove any solidified fat that rises to the top. (I prefer to leave a little fat, but it’s all personal preference.)
