Chicken Stock Recipe

Do you really need a recipe? Anything goes, except - don't use livers or peppers to make stock.

To make a chicken stock, first roast (and eat) a chicken. Reserve the bones. Or buy chicken carcasses from your butcher. You will have to roast these before using them to make stock.

Put the carcass and bones into a stock pot. To this add some onion, celery, carrots, garlic cloves, some parsley if you have it, a bay leaf, and some black peppercorns. Bring this almost to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, for at least an hour but preferably two or more. Strain into a large bowl and let cool on the countertop. When cooled, cover and place in the fridge overnight. The next day, scoop the fat off the top and discard or use for another recipe.

One variation is to use cilantro instead of parsley, for a Mexican/Asian twist.

Here's a great little starter. In a coffee cup, put in about 1 tsp each of finely chopped cilantro, tomato, and onion. Pour in hot chicken stock, and serve.

There are basically 2 kinds of stock, white and brown, and you can use them in different ways. A white stock is made with unroasted chicken bones, perfect for soups, and a brown is made from roasted bones, and is good for sauces, reductions, or a soup that needs that extra punch (my choice if making chicken soup, but not for vegetable soups).

5 lbs. bones
3 onions (for brown stock, you can leave the skins on for coulour)
1 large carrots
2 celery stalks
3 cups (1 bottle) quality white wine
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
6 juniper berries
8 peppercorns
water to cover

Peel and coarsley cut up veggies. Combine all ingredients in a pot and barely cover with water. Bring to a lively simmer, skim and turn the heat down to a bare simmer. Let cook 4-5 hours and strain.

Pee

Incidentally, I like to keep stock frozen in 2 cup containers, and it keeps at least 2 months when frozen.

Can you freeze stock in an ice cube tray?

Yes, freezing in an ice cube tray works perfectly, just don't put em in yer soda

Hiya!

Sug, cavfanciar's hooked you up with some great info.

White stock is more versatile, but brown stock is "yummier".
You can buy chicken pieces, usually labeled "necks and backs", for dirt cheap at most local butchers.
I like to keep a "scrap bag" going while I cook. I toss the root ends of my onions, carrots, celery and such into it and use those in my stocks. Cut veggies will keep for a few days in the fridge, I've sometimes tossed them into the freezer if I knew I wasn't making stock that week but always use them within a week of freezing.
I also will sometimes reduce the stock after I make it,..making it "double-strength", this helps if your pressed for fridge/freezer space.