Chicken Stock 101

I put up my first batch of chicken stock yesterday. I tend to use a lot in cooking, so thought I could make a healthier (no salt, no BPA from the can, no additives, sugar or preservatives), less expensive version myself. Not hard at all.

Ingredients:

8 pounds chicken backs
2 medium-large onions, peeled and large diced (save the skins and trimmings for compost pile)
2 large carrots cut into 2-3 inch chunks
6 stalks celery cut into 2-3 inch chunks
16-20 peppercorns
8 sprigs fresh thyme from the garden
12 sprigs fresh parsley from the garden
2 bay leaves

Yield: 4 quarts

Instructions:

In a large stock pot (mine holds 20 quarts), place the chicken backs in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Pull out the chicken backs, place in a large bowl and dump the water and scum. Clean the stock pot. This process virtually eliminates having to skim any scum later.

Place the chicken back in the stock pot and cover with 8 quarts of cold water. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Now add the rest of the ingredients and simmer uncovered for 3 hours or until liquid is reduced by half. Strain and let stock cool on stovetop, and then refrigerate.

I poured my stock into 6 ice cube trays for quick freezing and easy use as sometimes I only need a little bit of stock. Then I put the frozen cubes into a freezer bag. Each tray held just a little over 2 cups of stock. The rest I put into a quart Ball canning jar and put into the refrigerator for use this week. I'll skim the layer of fat off the stock in the jar and save that for cooking, too. Anything sauteed in chicken fat is good.