Homemade Chicken Stock
Homemade chicken stock is an excellent way to get the most out of your rotisserie chicken and veggie drawer. Plus, this versatile ingredient is delicious and good for you!
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken Carcass trimmed of the meat
- 1 Large Unpeeled Yellow Onion cut into quarters
- 2 Medium Unpeeled Carrots cut into thirds
- 1.5 Stalks of Celery cut into thirds, leaves included
- 1 Bunch Fresh Herbs (parsley, thyme) choose your favorites
- ⅔ TBSP Salt add more, as needed
- ⅔ TSP Coarsely Ground Black Pepper can also use peppercorns
- 6-8 Garlic Cloves smashed
- 9-12 cups Water or enough to cover all the ingredients
Instructions
- Place your chicken carcass and all of the vegetables into a large stock pot (8-12 quart).
- Add your seasonings: salt, pepper, herbs
- Pour in enough water to cover everything by about an inch.
- Bring the pot up to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 3-4 hours, as the flavors develop. Adjust seasonings, as needed.
- Once the flavor is to your liking, allow to cool enough to handle. Then, strain all the solids from the broth and discard them.
- If using the broth right away: Use a large spoon to remove any visible fat that may be floating on top. If storing: cool the liquid to room temp before placing it into the refrigerator.
- Chill overnight. The next morning, scrap off the top layer of fat (should be a jelly-like consistency) and portion the rich liquid into smaller containers for freezing.
Notes
The above recipe is a fairly basic stock recipe. Add more or less of a specific ingredient based on your preferences. For example, I prefer more onion and carrot, but less celery. I love garlic and usually add more salt as it cooks. In the summer/fall, I add a ton of various herbs. The rest of the year mostly just parsley. Do what you like.
Any of the following vegetables can be added to further enhance the flavor: leek, turnip, parsnip, or fennel. Try one at a time to see how you like the flavor. Add more as you prefer. I add a parsnip any time I find one at the market.
The following fresh herbs can be included in your stock, based on preferences: bay leaf, parsley, thyme, chives or dill.
Also, consider deglazing your veggies in a little white wine to punch up the flavor from time to time.
Start with my basic recipe above but customize it to suit your tastes.
Good Luck!