HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK FOR COOKING

Steps:

• Place a whole chicken in a large pot of water with a large amount of water with washed (no need to peel) large carrots cut into managable pieces, a large onion, quartered (also not peeled -- the peels seem to add more color and taste to the stock), 6 or 8 stalks of celery with their tops, also cut into managable pieces, a bunch of parsley, (you can leave it whole too) a head of seperated, unpeeled garlic cloves, a few bay leaves, 10 or 12 whole peppercorns and whatever else stikes my fancy at the time that seems as tho it might work with a chicken stock.
• Also could add a turnip, shallots or anything else that will work that is in your fridge, and needs to be used up.
• Bring to a boil, cover and simmer to get all the flavor out of your herbs and vegetables. It could take a couple of hours to get every little bit of flavor. Drain into a colander (make sure you have something under it to catch the stock. Missing this step can be frustrating; to smell it cooking for so long, look forward to a delicious stock and then dump it down the drain because you forgot to place a container under the colander).
• Return the stock to the pan and simmer to reduce the stock and enrich the flavor.
• You can add salt if you like, but I don't usually because I will probably salt whatever I will make with the broth. I don't think you will miss it.
• The vegetables and herbs season the stock up nicely.
• Never toss a turkey carcass without treating it as a stock option.
• Break it up to fit if you have to, but never throw it away without making a delicious stock out of it first.
• Turkey stock makes a delicious soup or stuffing seasoning as a side dish to chicken or base for a gravy.
• Making stock isn't hard, but it is a little time consuming because of the long cook time.
• The working part is easy because you don't have to peel anything.
• The peels are good for the stock and leave lots of good things behind like vitamins.
• What you throw away has all the good stuff simmered out of and into your broth. (This is the reason I cringe when someone is going to boil their meat before grilling. What a waste of wonderful flavor to be poured down the drain).
• Try it sometime on a day off when you have a few hours to make the stock.
• I have heard of making it in a crockpot, but I can't imagine doing so because of all the stuff you add to the pot.
• My crockpot just would not be big enough, but my stock pan is great and makes a decent amount of stock.
• I can get 2 - 1 gallon size freezer bags out of one chicken.
• It makes the best chicken soup, but use fresh chicken and vegetables because those make the best tasting stock.