Homemade Meat Broth and Chicken Noodle Soup

Some years ago I started putting beef bones in my homemade chicken broth, something many Italian cooks do. This one step magically transforms it from brodo di pollo (chicken broth) into brodo di carne (meat broth).

Brodo di carne is slightly more full-bodied than basic chicken broth, but noticeably lighter than beef broth. Italian cooks use it as a base for delicate broth-and-pasta soups and also for more robust vegetable and grain soups. I add it by the ladleful to risotto, pasta sauces, stews and braises. And it makes a fine base for chicken noodle soup for winter.

Many cooks use chicken parts ~ backs, necks, feet ~ along with beef bones to make brodo, which is practical and economical. I like to use a whole chicken because then I get to eat the (over)cooked meat, which I have loved since I was a child. Once you strip the meat from the bones (it literally does fall right off), you can shred some of it right into your soup and serve the rest as a second course, drizzled with good olive oil.

I recommend making the broth one day in advance so that you can refrigerate it and skim the layer of fat off the top before using it in soup or other recipes.

HOMEMADE MEAT BROTH AND CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Makes about 2 quarts broth, enough for 6 servings of soup

Ingredients
1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds
2 to 4 beef marrow bones, about 1 1/2 pounds
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
3 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions, quartered, each quarter stuck with 1 whole clove
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, including stems (1 cup, lightly packed)
5 quarts water
Kosher or sea salt

Fine egg noodles or broken capellini (angel hair pasta)
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Instructions
1. Put all of the ingredients except the salt in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming away any foam that forms on the surface with a skimmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 1 hour, while skimming the surface from time to time. Simmer for at least another 3 hours, or until the broth is reduced by almost half. Add salt to taste and simmer for another 30 minutes or so, until the broth is richly flavored.

2. Strain the broth through a colander lined with damp cheesecloth into a clean container. Discard the marrow bones. When the chicken meat is cool enough to handle, remove it from the bones and set aside. Set aside some of the pieces of carrots and celery as well. Refrigerate the strained broth and, in a separate container, the reserved meat and vegetables. Once the broth is thoroughly chilled, skim off and discard the congealed layer of fat on the surface.

3. If you are not planning to use the broth within 3 days, transfer the broth to quart-size containers with tight-fitting lids and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

4. To make chicken noodle soup, heat the broth in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add some of the reserved cooked chicken (shredded) and vegetables (sliced). When the soup is boiling, toss in a few handfuls of fine egg noodles or broken capellini (angel hair pasta) ~ about 1 1/2 cups. Cook at a gentle simmer until the noodles are tender. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a sprinkle of Parmigiano cheese.