How To Make Chicken Stock

There are several ways to make chicken stock. Two of our favorite methods are presented here. The first method uses the leftover bones from a chicken carcass and vegetables and takes several hours of slow cooking. We often use this method when we;ve roasted a chicken and have a leftover carcass. It's a great way to not let good bones go to waste. In the second method, you start with chicken backs and wings and saute them first. This method takes about an hour total and is a quick way to get a rich and delicious stock.


METHOD 1. Leftover Chicken Bones

• Leftover bones and skin from a cooked or raw chicken carcass
• Celery
• Onions 
• Carrot 
• Parsley
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Put the leftover bones and skin from a chicken carcass into a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Add veggies like celery, onion, carrots, parsley. Add salt and pepper, about a teaspoon of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper.
2. Bring to a boil and immediately reduc heat to bring the stock to barely a simmer. Simmer uncovered at least 4 hours, occassionally skimming off the foam that comes to the surface.
3. Remove the bones and strain the stock.
4. If making stock for future use in soup you may want to reduce the stock by simmering few hours longer it more concentrated and easier to store.
    

METHOD 2. Chicken Backs, Wings and Legs. 

• 4 lbs of chicken backs, wings and legs that have been hacked with a cleaver into 2-inch pieces. You can ask your butcher to prepare the chicken pieces this way.
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped.
• Olive oil
• 2 quarts of boiling water
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 bay leaves

1.  Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add one chopped onion. Saute until softened and slightly colored - 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
   
   

 

      2.Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot. Saute until no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onions. Saute the rest of the chicken the same way. Return onion and chicken pieces to the pot. Reduce heat to low, over and cook until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
      3. While the chicken pieces are cooking, fill a large tea kettle with 2 quarts of water, bring to a boil.

 

      4.After the chicken pieces have been cooking for 20 minutes, raise the heat level to high, add the 2 quarts of boiling water, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 bay leves. Return to a low simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the buttom of the pan with a wooden spoon, then cover and barely simmer for about 20 minutes.

     5. Strain stock through cheesecloth or peper towel-lined large sieve and discard solids. ( It helps to remove the big pieces of bone with a slotted spoon first.)
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      Pour into jars and let cool, before putting into the refrigerator. Stock will last a week or so in the refrigerator or frozen for several months.