Lock, stock & barrel

Another raw and rainy April day. Bad day for gardening, but a good day to make a chicken stock.

3 chicken carcass bones

1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise

1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved with 3-5 whole cloves pressed into it

a leek stalk (ok to skip)

2-3 carrots, unpeeled

2-3 celery stalks with leaves

1 tomato (okay to skip)

1 whole lemon, cut in half

15 sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley 

10 springs of fresh sage

10 sprigs of fresh rosemary

15 sprigs fresh thyme 

2 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp whole black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

water

Place all ingredients into a 16-to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer half covered for 12 hours. It should reduce by 1/3. Turn off heat and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. I call this the after broth. 😂 Let the pot sit for an hour, and pour broth into another large pot, reserving, and then discarding, any sediment that’s at the very bottom of your pot.

 Use stock immediately To sip, or make a soup with, or pack in containers and freeze for future use. 

 (click here to see how I do that) It's that easy!

Notes: The lemon that is added not only adds flavor and brightness, but it helps pull all of the nutrients out of the chicken bones. Simmering your stock for 12 hours does that also. Be sure to simmer it, and not boil it, because your stock will come out more clear.

Click here for my ham stock recipe.