Homemade Chicken Stock
Nothing goes to waste when you make a roast chicken.
If you decide to make my Simon and Garfunkel Roast Chicken for dinner, after you have savored every piece of tender chicken, don’t throw away those bones just yet. There’s one more recipe be to eked out of this meal. It’s time to make homemade chicken stock!
Making your own stock is not only easy, but the aroma of the slow simmering stock on your stovetop will make your kitchen feel so warm and cozy all day long. All you need is the leftover carcass as well as some vegetables and aromatics, most of which you probably already have from making the roast chicken the day before. Keep this homemade stock on hand for any recipe that calls for stock or broth. You will be amazed how much more flavorful and delicious your recipes become when you use homemade stock instead of something from a box!
Homemade Chicken Stock
1 roast chicken carcass
1 onion, halved
4 carrots, cut into thirds
4 stalks celery, cut into thirds
Handful fresh parsley
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
16 cups water, or enough to cover
Salt, to taste
Pick the roast chicken carcass of the majority of the meat. Place the bones in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add onion, carrots, cleery, parsley, whole peppercorns, and bay leaf. Fill the pot with about 16 cups of water, or enough to cover the carcass and the vegetables by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 2 hours. Season with salt, to taste.
Stran the solids through a fine mesh strainer over a large pot or bowl to collect the stock. Cover and refrigerate. Once chilled, the excess fat and will rise to the surface and can be skimmed off.
Refrigerate or freeze in freezer-safe containers with enough headspace to expand. You will love having this flavorful homemade stock on hand to use in future recipes.