Chicken Stock

Chicken sock is essential to so many dishes that in restaurant kitchens me make and keep on hand literally gallons of the golden liquid, preparing it fresh many times a week. Once you make homemade stock you will never go back the canned variety. It freezes so well, after one afternoon's worth of work, you can keep it on hand several weeks at a time.

source	Chef Staib
categories	gravy, sauce, soup
yield	Makes 2�½ quarts
prep time
total time

INGREDIENTS

1 stewing chicken or hen (about 41/22 lbs), whole or cut into eight pieces (see Chef's Note)

2 ½ gallons water

½ celery root, skin on, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 Med onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 leek, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise and rinsed thoroughly

1 dried bay leaf

4 sprigs fresh thyme

½ bunch fresh parsley

12 whole black peppercorns, crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the chicken in cold running water and trim off any excess fat. Place the chicken in a 12-quart stockpot and pour in the water. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer gently until fully cooked, occasionally removing any foam that rises to the surface, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and reserve for use in another dish.

2. Continue to simmer the stock until it is reduced to about it 5 quarts, about 1½ hours more.

3. Line a large colander or fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth, set in a large bowl, and strain the stock.

4. Return the stock to the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced by half to 2½ quarts, about 4 hours.

5. Cool the stock in an ice bath and pour into jars or plastic containers. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

NOTES

CHEF'S NOTE: Stewing chickens (also called hens, boiling fowl, or simply fowl) are usually between 10 and 18 months old and weigh between three and six pounds. Because they are older and larger than roasting chickens, they are more flavorful but also less tender. These qualities thus make them particularly good candidates for stewing and making rich golden stock. There is an alternative, though, to cooking a whole chicken. Simply use chicken necks and backs, which are certainly inexpensive and full of flavor.