Gina: Homemade chicken stock is our way of adding a little extra love to any dish, from soup to stew to rice pilaf. And it’s so easy to make: We throw a whole bird (yeah, the whole thing) in the soup pot, along with plenty of aromatics, and let it simmer for a few hours. This gives our stock plenty of taste. For an even richer chicken flavor, add the carcass of a roasted chicken to the stock as you are cooking it.
This stock will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator, or it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 10 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring the cold water and the chicken pieces (including the neck and giblets) to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and begin skimming the froth immediately. Continue to simmer the stock, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, salt, parsley, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Simmer for another hour (adding the veggies and spices at the end gives our stock a little extra snap).
Step 2
Pour the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and discard the solids. If you are using the stock right away, skim off and discard any fat. If not, cool the stock completely, uncovered, before skimming off and discarding the fat (this will be easier to do when the stock is cool).
