Homemade Chicken Stock

By bakers_delight85

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (3 pounds)
• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 2 1/2 quarts cold water
• 1 celery rib with leaves, cut into chunks

Preparation

Step 1

Cut chicken into parts, reserving back and neck. In a soup kettle, cook chicken breast halves in oil over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes, remove and set aside. Cook remaining chicken pieces, including neck and back in two batches until browned; set aside. In the same pan, saute the carrots and onion until onion is tender.
Place seasonings on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag.
Return chicken to the pan. Add cold water, celery and spice bag. Slowly bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Skim foam. Remove chicken breast halves from pan. Remove meat from bones; return bones to pan. Refrigerate chicken breast meat for another use.
Simmer stock, uncovered, 3-4 hours longer. Strain; discard the chicken, bones, vegetables and spice bag. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove fat from surface.