Chicken Stock

One thing you do over and over again in culinary school is learn how to prepare stocks.  Chicken, beef, veal, fish...you name it.

Stock is a flavored water preparation; it forms the basis of many dishes, particularly soups and sauces.

I wanted to make some soup last week and discovered that I didn't have any chicken stock in the house.  I usually keep a few quarts of the boxed stock (low sodium version) in the pantry at all times, but we were all out.  I remembered that I'd bought some chicken backs specifically for making stock so I thawed them Monday and today I took out the stockpot and started to work.

All you need to make chicken stock:  a chicken carcass or necks/bones; carrots; onion; celery; parsley; bay leaf; thyme; peppercorns; water.

Put all of those ingredients into a stockpot, add eight quarts of water, bring just to boil, and then simmer for at least two hours.  The longer you can let the stock simmer, the better.

Strain the stock and let it sit in the fridge overnight.  The fat will rise to the top and solidify in the fridge so that you can easily remove it and use your homemade stock.  That's all there is to it!

Onions, carrots, celery.

Parsley (including stems).

Backbones, bone-in breast.

Just about to boil; time to simmer.

Strained stock.

Skimming fat.

The stock will keep in the fridge for three days.  I also try to freeze some as well in case I need some homemade soup ASAP.

A great source for stock recipes (among other tasty dishes) is:  Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.