Recipe by Tucker Shaw. Makes about 2 quarts.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds assorted chicken parts (here’s a good place to use backs, necks, wings and so forth, but you can also just use a whole, cut-up chicken)
- 2 large onions, cut into eighths
- 2 large carrots, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 2 large celery stalks, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- A few sprigs of parsley
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 head garlic, sliced in half through the middle (optional)
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
Directions
Place all ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with 4 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. (Some stock-makers say you should skim the foam off the top as it cooks; others say that’s a waste of time. I vote for skimming, but that’s only because I’m a tinkerer by nature.)
Allow stock to simmer, barely bubbling, for about 2 hours. Strain. Discard solids. (You can tear the meat from the bones and make a delicious chicken salad if you like.) Cool stock, then refrigerate overnight. The fat will rise to the top and congeal; it’s easy to spoon it off when it’s cold. Strain the stock one more time, and you’re ready to go. Your stock can be refrigerated for about 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
