Rosol (Polish Chicken Soup)

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Use a stockpot large enough to hold all the meat, bones and later vegetables safely. Without washing raw poultry, put all five pounds raw bone-in chicken, one beef soup bone and three raw turkey necks in the pot. Do not use boneless meat in place of the bone-in chicken.

   Uses 5 lb raw bone-in chicken, whole or in bone-in pieces · 1 beef soup bone for stock · 3 raw turkey necks for stock

2. 2

   Step 2: Cover all the meat and bones generously with the separate fresh broth water, keeping the optional noodle-boiling water separate. Use enough room in the pot to add vegetables later without overflowing.

   Uses All stock meats and bones · Fresh water to cover all meat and bones in a sufficiently large stockpot

3. 3

   Step 3: Bring the pot to a boil, then promptly reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim surface foam regularly for a clear broth. Simmer for the first one to one and a half hours before adding vegetables, so the later full vegetable hour brings the complete meat simmer to two to two and a half hours.

   Initial meat simmer before the final vegetable hour · 90 minUses All covered stockpot contents

4. 4

   Step 4: Trim and halve both onions (2 large), retaining only clean yellow outer skins for colour. Trim/peel all five carrots and both parsnips (2). Trim the leek (1) to its white and light-green parts, split and wash away grit; peel the celery root (1 small) and cut it into manageable chunks. Wash the measured quarter small savoy cabbage and all the measured parsley (4) and dill (4) sprigs. Add all these prepared vegetables, all the measured parsley/dill sprigs, whole clove (1), four whole allspice berries, two bay leaves, six whole peppercorns and salt (1 tbsp) to the simmering meat broth for its final cooking hour, adjusting the salt to taste.

   Uses All stockpot contents after the initial phase · 2 large onions, root ends trimmed and halved; clean yellow skins retained · 5 carrots, trimmed and peeled, kept whole for the broth · 1 leek, trimmed; white and light-green parts only · 1 small-to-medium celery root, peeled · ¼ small savoy cabbage · 1 whole clove · 4 whole allspice berries

5. 5

   Step 5: Continue the pot at a gentle simmer for one full hour, skimming and stirring gently as needed, until the vegetables are tender and all poultry is cooked through to at least 74 °C /165 °F in the thickest meat. The complete meat simmer takes two to two and a half hours, including this final vegetable hour.

   Final meat-and-vegetable broth simmer · 60 minUses All assembled stockpot contents

6. 6

   Step 6: Strain all the hot broth into a clean pot. Keep all the cooked chicken and all five cooked carrots separately for returning to the soup. Remove the beef bone, turkey necks, other spent vegetables, herb stems and whole spices from the broth. Hold the strained broth hot.

   Uses All cooked stockpot contents

7. 7

   Step 7: When safe to handle, remove and discard all bones from the cooked chicken, pulling the meat into large chunks. Keep this cooked meat for the soup.

   Uses All reserved cooked chicken

8. 8

   Step 8: Slice all five cooked carrots into rounds, keeping them separate from the other strained stock vegetables.

   Uses All five cooked carrots

9. 9

   Step 9: Return all the cooked chicken chunks and cooked carrot rounds to the strained broth. Gently heat until the finished soup is steaming hot throughout; if it cooled during straining and deboning, reheat to 74 °C /165 °F. Keep it hot for serving.

   Uses All strained broth · All cooked chicken meat · All cooked carrot slices

10. 10

    Step 10: If using the optional dry thin noodles, cook the amount desired in a separate pot of the noodle-boiling water according to their packet directions, then drain. Keep these cooked noodles separate from the soup pot so they do not swell in stored broth.

    Uses Dry thin noodles for optional serving, amount as desired · Fresh water to cook optional noodles separately, drained afterwards

11. 11

    Step 11: Divide any separately cooked noodles between bowls and ladle the hot soup, chicken chunks and cooked carrot rounds over them. Alternatively serve the soup without noodles. Add a little of the separate optional fresh dill garnish if desired, rather than reusing the boiled strained herb sprigs.

    Uses All finished soup · Only cooked noodles, if made · Additional fresh dill for optional garnish, as desired