Chicken Stock

Chef mariajane's Note:

Homemade Chicken stock provides a flavorful base for a range of soups, stews, asnd braises. Enterprising home cooks can have fresh stock on hand simply by make the stock ahead and freezing it in small freezer bags to use as needed.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 2.5 quarts

• 2 white onions
• 4 whole cloves
• bouquet garni
• 6 lbs chicken carcasses
• 2 large carrots , peeled and corrsely chopped
• 3 stalks celery , coarsely chopped
• 10 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorn

Directions:

1. Coarsely chop one of the onions. Stud the other onion with the 4 cloves.
2. In a stockpot, combine all the ingredients and add water just to cover (about 3 3/4 quarts). Bring to a hard boil and, using a large spoon or wire skimmer, skim off any foam that forms on the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, umcovered for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, reducing the liquid only slightly. Continue to slim off any foam that floats to the top during simmering.
3. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean container. Discard the contents of the sieve. use immediately, or let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. Lift any solidified fat from the surface of the chilled stock before using.