Chicken Stock

MAKES: 4 quarts (3.5-4 liters)

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 quarts (5.5L) water
• 5 lbs (2.27kg) chicken bones, skin, and trimmings
• 4 celery ribs, rinsed and cut into thick slices
• 2 onions, trimmed and quartered
• 2 carrots, trimmed, scrubbed, and cut into thick slices
• 2 tbsp (30g) whole black peppercorns
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp (30g) dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves

STEPS:

1. Place water and chicken in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low and skim off foam that rises during the first 10-15 minutes of simmering. Simmer stock, uncovered, for one hour.
3. Add celery, onions, carrots, peppercorns, garlic, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Simmer for another 2 ½ hours.
4. Strain stock through a fine-meshed sieve, pushing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
5. Discard fat from surface of the stock. It can now be refrigerated for up to three days before use, or frozen for up to six months before use.