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Categories:Viewed: 65 - Published at: 7 years ago
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, or meaty chicken parts (about 4 pounds)
- 1 1/2 gallons cold water
- 1 carrot, peeled
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 head garlic, halved (optional)
- 1 whole leek, split in half and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A few black peppercorns
- A few sprigs of parsley and thyme
- 1 or 2 bay leaves
Method
- Put the chicken in a large pot and pour in 1 1/2 gallons cold water.
- Over high heat, bring the water to a boil, and then turn the heat down low so that the broth is barely simmering, with bubbles just breaking the surface.
- Skim off the foam that rises to the top, but leave some of the fat; it adds lots of flavor to the stock and can be removed at the end.
- For a nice clear stock, do not let it boil again, or the fat and the liquid may emulsify, turning the stock cloudy and greasy.
- After skimming, add the vegetables, salt, peppercorns, and herbs and continue to simmer for 3 to 4 hours.
- (If you are in a hurry, you can use the stock after about an hour, before it is fully cooked.)
- Turn off the heat, let the stock cool a bit, and then strain.
- Ladle the stock out of the pot and pass it through a fine strainer into a nonreactive container, or several small containers, for freezing.
- If using the stock right away, skim the fat.
- Otherwise, let the stock cool and refrigerate it with the fat, which will solidify on top and can then be easily removed.
- The stock will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or for several months in the freezer.
