Basic Chicken Stock

Any time I roast a chicken I immediately make a stock with the left over carcass. While the stuff out of the carton is convenient and has its place, there is no point in tossing chicken bones in the garbage when they can be turned into the basis for another meal or soup or sauce. You’ve already paid for the chicken, so why not get your money’s worth from it?

When I make a stock I do not bother to get fancy and peel and nicely chop my vegetables. I wash them and rough chop them. I cut the onions in quarters, crush the garlic quickly, and throw them in the pot skins and all. When the stock is ready, all of the vegetables. skins and bones will be strained out as you will not be eating these vegetables – they are to flavour the base stock only.

Sometimes if I don’t think I have a large enough carcass to make a decent quantify of stock, I might add a few chicken drumsticks, or purchase a few packages of chicken backs to add. Chicken backs are extremely inexpensive ($1-$2 a package) as they are generally discarded by the butcher when he cuts up the whole chicken.

Basic Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken bones, backs and necks, rinsed (do leave some meat on the carcass)
1 large onion, cut in quarters, skin left on
2 medium sized carrots, unpeeled, cut in large chunks
1 large ribs celery, cut in large chunks
2 bay leaves
8 whole black peppercorns
4 springs fresh thyme, or small pinch of dry
2 cloves garlic, crushed, left whole but crushed
1 tablespoon salt
good grinding of pepper
10 cups cold water

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer so that the stock maintains a steady, but very gentle boil. Simmer for minimum 3 hours but 8 if you can. Use a ladle or mesh spoon every so often to skim-off any foamy scum that comes to the surface.

Once stock has cooked, strain through a fine mesh strainer or through several layers of cheese cloth, and discard the bones and vegetables. Cool to room temperature or overnight, so you can remove the layer of yellow fat that will accumulate on the surface.

Freeze stock or use within 2 days.