Chicken Stock

The carcass of yesterday’s roast chicken, celery, onion, carrot, parsley, thyme, bay, peppercorns and garlic.

Begin by cooking the chicken and vegetables in a Dutch oven until it begins to brown a little.  This will help to give the stock a rich color.

Add the herbs, peppercorns and enough cold water to cover. Cook over high heat until it just begins to boil, then turn the heat down and let simmer for 1 hour, skimming the scum about once every 15 minutes.

Simmer an additional 8 hours, skimming occasionally and adding a little hot water as needed to keep the ingredients submerged.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container and immediately cool that in a sink full of ice water. The goal is to cool the stock below the bacterial level of 38 degrees as quickly as possible.

Done correctly, the stock will safely keep in the refrigerator for at least three days or in the freezer for 3-4 months.