Chicken Stew

Recipe No. 385 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Meat. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Chicken, New York dressed — 65 pounds
• or — as needed

Chicken, full drawn — 49 pounds

• Celery, coarsely chopped — 2 pounds (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Onions, coarsely chopped — 2 pounds (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Carrots, diced — 2 pounds (1½ No. 56 dippers)
• Salt — 6 ounces (¼ mess kit cup)
• Water — 7 gallons (28 No. 56 dippers)
• Flour, sifted — as needed
• Water, cold — as needed

Directions

1. Clean chicken; cut into suitable servings or leave whole.
2. Add celery, onions, carrots, salt, and enough water to cover chicken.
3. Cover tightly and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer 3½ to 4½ hours or until tender.
4. Drain stock from meat; heat stock to boiling point. Mix flour and small amount of stock; stir until smooth. Pour slowly into remaining stock. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Remove meat from chicken bones; cut into small pieces.
6. Combine meat and gravy. Heat to serving temperature.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Chicken, New York dressed — 5 lb 3¼ oz or — to taste Chicken, full drawn — 3 lb 14¾ oz Celery, coarsely chopped — 2½ oz Onions, coarsely chopped — 2½ oz Carrots, diced — 2½ oz Salt — ½ oz Water — 2¼ qt Flour, sifted — to taste Water, cold — to taste

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 385, Meat. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.