Chicken Stock

I roasted a chicken Thursday night and planned in advance to use the bones and, er, carcass to make chicken stock (still trying to use what I have, after all.) I had been storing odds and ends of veggies from the week's meals (a little celery here a little bok choy there) and confident from Mark Bittman's assurance that boiled water with some foodstuffs is much better than canned stock, set my pot a-boiling.

I used Martha's basic chicken stock recipe as a jumping off point. I'm still not sure what I'm going to use it for (it's sitting pretty in the freezer right now) but I'm sensing matzo ball soup in the near future...

Post-Roasted Chicken Stock

Bones, backbone and other leftover pieces from a 5-6 lb. roaster chicken
Any leftover herbs you have (thyme, dill, etc)
A few pieces of any raw veggies you have (celery, bok choy, carrots, etc)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 dried bay leaf
1 large (or two small) yellow onions, peeled and chunked
1 teaspoon peppercorns

Place chicken parts in a stockpot. Pour in enough water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim off any fat that rises to the top (if your chicken parts don't include skin -there will not be much)

Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat so that mixture is at a bare simmer. Cook, skimming if necessary for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.


Drain stock into a bowl using a collander, sieve or cheesecloth. Set to cool over an ice bath. Store in an airtight container (I like a 2 quart pitcher with top) in the refrigerator for 8 hours, fat will rise to the top and congeal. Skim fat. Keep stock in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.