Basic Chicken Stock

Sue Lau's Note:

Basic kitchen stuff. Or "How to avoid canned sodium 101". If you like salt, put it in on your own.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 8 cups

• 4 -5 ½ lbs bone-in chicken parts (or 1 4-5 1/2 pound roasting chicken, rinsed)
• 16 cups water
• 1 large onion , coarsely chopped
• 1 large carrot , coarsely chopped
• 1 celery rib , coarsely chopped
• 1 bouquet garni (Bouquet Garnis)

Directions:

1. Place chicken and water in stockpot, making sure water level covers chicken.
2. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, skimming off foam, until it clears (try not to agitate too much from the bottom at this point).
3. Add onions, carrots, celery, and bouquet garni sachet, and simmer uncovered for approximately 3 hours, maintaining water level to cover chicken.
4. At the end of cooking time, strain mixture through a sieve (don't press the vegetables or mixture will cloud) into a clean pot and allow to cool.
5. Refrigerate, then remove fat before using, if desired (it should rise to the top).
6. You can freeze any you don't want to use right away at this point, or use immediately (I put my extra into ice-cube trays then into plastic bags once it has frozen).