Here's the recipe I was referring to in the thread "legend..." started on chicken soup. The recipe calls for miscellaneous chicken parts but, many times I've used a whole chicken when they go on sale for 49-cents a pound. When I use the whole chicken, I remove the meat and chunk it and save it for use in casseroles and chicken pizzas, tacos, etc. Kinda kill 2 birds with one stone. Sorry, had to say that "bird" thing. This IS about chicken, after all.
3½ to 4 lbs. misc. chicken bones, with some meat
1 large onion, peeled and halved
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large celery rib, about 4 oz., coarsely chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with a knife blade
2 cups dry white wine (I used Livingston Cellars White Chardonnay)
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4½ quarts cold water
Bring bones, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, wine, bay leaf, and water to a boil in 12-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, skimming fat or foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours, continuing to skim surface as necessary. Add parsley and thyme; continue to simmer until stock is rich and flavorful, about 2 hours longer, continuing to skim surface as necessary.
Remove from heat and strain through a large-mesh strainer to remove bones and solids. Allow broth to cool and then strain through several layers of cheesecloth or through paper coffee filters. Chill and remove fat. At this point, if you want a richer stock, return it to a pan and reduce to the consistency you wish.
Note: Stock can be canned or frozen. To can the stock, ladle the stock into sterilized pint jars – leaving 1-inch headspace – and process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow canner to cool on its own. When cool, remove jars, check lids and when fully cool test lids and store appropriately.
If you have room in your freezer and wish to freeze your stock or are not a “canner,” fill the prepared jars as above and freeze. Enjoy your handiwork. It’s worth the effort.
KATIE’S RICH HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK
(Makes about 7 pints)
1 large onion, peeled and halved
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large celery rib, about 4 oz., coarsely chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with a knife blade
2 cups dry white wine (I used Livingston Cellars White Chardonnay)
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4½ quarts cold water
Bring bones, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, wine, bay leaf, and water to a boil in 12-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, skimming fat or foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours, continuing to skim surface as necessary. Add parsley and thyme; continue to simmer until stock is rich and flavorful, about 2 hours longer, continuing to skim surface as necessary.
Remove from heat and strain through a large-mesh strainer to remove bones and solids. Allow broth to cool and then strain through several layers of cheesecloth or through paper coffee filters. Chill and remove fat. At this point, if you want a richer stock, return it to a pan and reduce to the consistency you wish.
Note: Stock can be canned or frozen. To can the stock, ladle the stock into sterilized pint jars – leaving 1-inch headspace – and process in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow canner to cool on its own. When cool, remove jars, check lids and when fully cool test lids and store appropriately.
If you have room in your freezer and wish to freeze your stock or are not a “canner,” fill the prepared jars as above and freeze. Enjoy your handiwork. It’s worth the effort.