Chicken stock is the heart and soul of my cooking - especially during the winter months. It is easy to make and bears no resemblance to what you buy in those cardboard containers. It makes your house smell delicious, and you can freeze it in small or large quantities.
Start out with a stainless steel stockpot. And make sure you use COLD water.
Take about 2 pounds of chicken carcass (chicken you have roasted and picked, or raw chicken that you have trimmed for another recipe), put in the stockpot, and add about 12 cups of cold water. Bring this to a boil, reduce the heat a little, and let boil for about 15 minutes. The "scum" proteins will rise to the surface and you can remove those with a slotted spoon.
Now I add an onion, halved or quartered, a shallot, a couple of peeled garlic gloves, several sticks of celery, preferably with leaves, a couple of carrots, the dark leaves of leeks if I have used leeks earlier in the week, a couple of bay leaves, a nice fistful of parsley, and a good pinch of sea salt.
I cover and simmer this for about 3 hours. Put a fine mesh colander over a large bowl and strain the chicken broth. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate. Once perfectly chilled, the fat will have risen to the top and congealed - making it easy to scoop off.
You now have a deliciously flavored chicken broth. You can divide it and freeze it, or you can start cooking with it.
Which I will do for tonight. Stay tuned.
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