Recipes - Chicken or Poultry Stock

This recipe works great if you have a chicken or turkey carcass left over. Many soups call for chicken stock, probably more than any other stock. This is very easy to make it just takes a little time for the flavors to really come out.

2 large onion, peeled and quartered
2 large carrot, cut into thirds
3 celery stalks, cut into thirds
5 pounds chicken or any poultry bones
2 to 4 cloves of garlic peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large or 4 small leeks, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
teaspoon of fennel seeds
6 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme
6 cloves
12 whole black peppercorns
Sauté the onions until light brown in a large pot over medium heat. Then add the carrot, celery, and garlic, continue to sauté for a few minutes (be sure not to burn the garlic, if it starts to burn add a little water.) Place all the remaining ingredients in the pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

As the stock approaches boiling point, remove any impurities that rise to the top by skimming with a ladle. Reduce the heat and simmer the stock for 3 to 4 hours, continuing to skim impurities form time to time while the stock cooks.

Remove from the heat and let the sock sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then ladle through a fine strainer. Cool by placing the container of stock in the refrigerator, after the stock cools any fat will collect at the top, you can skim this off. The stock will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator, or you can freeze it in 1 cup batches.