Makesabout 2 1/2 qt
- Active time:20 min
- Start to finish:4 1/2 hr
February 2009
There really isn’t a lot of work involved in making chicken stock—you pretty much drop everything into a pot of water and let it simmer. What you do need, though, is time and patience to let the chicken, vegetables, and herbs transform the water into a golden, savory liquid that will make all the difference in soups and sauces.
-
5 to 6
lb
chicken parts, including 3 lb wings
-
4
qt
cold water
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1
onion, left unpeeled, quartered
-
8
garlic cloves, left unpeeled
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1
celery rib, quartered
-
1
carrot, quartered
-
6
long parsley sprigs
-
1
large thyme sprig
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1
Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
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Bring all ingredients to a boil with 1 tsp salt in an 8- to 10-qt pot. Skim froth.
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Reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, 3 1/2 hours.
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Pour stock through a large sieve lined with dampened paper towels into a large bowl, discarding solids.
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If using stock right away, skim off and discard fat. If not, chill stock, uncovered, until cool, then cover; discard solidified fat before using stock.
Cooks’ note: Stock can be chilled up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months.
