Gretchen - Definetly. Developing that deep brown caramelization is surely one of the most important steps. Not only is it the flavor base, but it also lends color and defines the texture of the onions. Nothing worse than crunchy/bland undercooked onions in FOS...
I didn't list a time though, because it depends on pan shape/size, how much soup people are making, shape/size of the onion slices, and how long they've been losing moisture in the pantry. I slice my onions very thin, often making a 1/2 batch in a 3qt saucier. I can achieve the proper camarelization in about 35-45min over medium/medium-low heat.
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I suppose I should include the brown chicken stock recipe I use for people who want to make this and have never made brown chicken stock. My recipe is almost an exact copy of the CIA's, but I like a bigger sachet with more garlic, herbs, and spices along with a bit more bones for a higher concentration of gelatin and flavor. It's really easy to do on a day where you plan to be home for 6-7hrs or so. I usually spend one day every couple months where I clean my apartment and replenish my freezer stash. I go through chicken and brown chicken stock like crazy. In the end it's actually cheaper to make than buy, and the quality is 10x better. Make a gallon and seperate it into eight 2-Cup containers that will stack in the back corner of the freezer. I try to keep a gallon each of Brown Veal Stock, Chicken Stock, Brown Chicken Stock, and Fish Stock. It takes up about 1/4 of my freezer along one wall. Stocks really do make the difference between a good dish and a fantastic dish. This is a classic western stock, but the aromatics really aren't that strong. You can easily infuse things like ginger or lemongrass for sotheast asian cuisines. Of course if you only make one, make the standard chicken stock which is basically the following recipe minus the roasting steps and tomato paste. Oh, and any kitchen worth it's mustard has a couple stock pots. I use disc-bottomed 22qt jobbers from Walmart which ran me about $40ea or so. Notice I said
two, as straining into 6 different pots after really stinks! (the 22qt size allows you to make a double batch if you plan on lots of cooking, like around the holidays). You can also use the pots for pasta, canning, or large preparations of foods for parties/get togethers. I use mine on portable outdoor burners for steaming sweet corn at BBQ's and stuff too.
Anyhoo, here it is...
Brown Chicken Stock
Brown chicken stock is used for hearty poultry or vegetable based dishes. Stripped down, it's essential components (like all good stocks) are clean water (filtered if necessary, but not distilled), bones/joints, aromatics, herbs and spices. It's essential that high quality ingredients are used, as the flavors derived are subsequently reduced and condensed which will magnify any shortcuts taken. The mouth-feel of a good stock is created by collagen in the connective tissues breaking down into gelatin. Browning the bones and aromatics not only brings color, but makes use of the Maillard and Caramelization reactions to increase flavor complexity and depth. It's important that sufficient browning is reached, but care must be taken not to burn anything. Burnt items create a bitter flavor in the stock which is unpleasant and gets worse as the stock is reduced. Some flavors and aromatics are volatile, and care must be taken not to boil them away. Boiling is bad not just for flavor, but also decreases the clarity of the final product. Frequent skimming is also necessary to remove foam and scum which will reduce the stock's quality if left to break down and suspend itself. Stock should be started cold and cooked at a bare simmer. Cooking time begins once the stock reaches a bare simmer.
10-lbs Chicken Bones (or Wings/Drumsticks)
Canola Oil
4-qt + 2-C Water
1 Large Onion - Diced
2 Medium Carrots - Diced
2 Stalks Celery - Diced
6-oz Tomato Paste
2 Medium Cloves Garlic - Crushed
1-t Black Peppercorns
3 Sprigs Fresh Parsley
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Bay leaves
Preheat the oven to 425*F and heat a large heavy roasting pan filmed with canola Oil. Add the chicken bones and roast until evenly browned, turning as needed - roughly one hour. Remove the chicken to a large stock pot, and add the water to cover. De-glaze the roasting pan with some water, and add to the stock pot. Bring the chicken to a a bare simmer over medium heat and then reduce the temperature to maintain the bare simmer as necessary. If the water level falls below the level of the chicken, heat some water in a separate sauce pan and gently replenish some of the lost water. Do not completely replenish the lost water, as the stock eventually needs to reduce to 1-gal.
Three and a half hours into simmering, film a skillet with canola oil and add the mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery). Saute over medium-high heat until the onions are caramelized. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir constantly until it turns a golden brown and smells sweet. De-glaze the pan with a few ladles of stock, and then add the mixture to the stock pot along with the remaining ingredients.
After the stock has simmered for five hours, carefully strain it with a chinois or cheesecloth and measure the final volume - the target is 1-gal (4-qts). If the volume is short, add enough water to reach 4-qts. If the volume is large, return the strained stock to a simmer, and reduce until 4-qts is achieved. Chill the stock, and then degrease once the fat has stratified and turned solid.
I usually degrease by using a 4-C sized OXO separator. This saves lots of time. Chill the stock before hitting the fridge by placing the pot (nice n' tall comes in handy here) in your sink and filling it up with cold water. Empty a tray of ice cubes in too if you want (the sink, not the stock). Swirl the water in the sink with your hand every 10min or so until it cools. You can also drain/refill with more cold water. I usually wash them out in my bathtub afterwords which is much easier than maneuvering them around the faucet with my kitchen sink. It sounds like a lot of work, but it's incredibly easy once you do it a couple times. Once you figure out the exact setting on your stove that produces that light-simmer, it just works it's magic by itself.
Oh, notice there is zero salt... you want this. Some recipes call for stock reductions, or have lots of salty ingredients already (such as many south-east asian dishes). You can always add, but taking out is tough.
Sorry for being long-winded. I just feel that without stocks a kitchen is seriously handicapped in what it can produce on the fly.
