Chicken Stock

This is the key to so many recipes, I make gallons of chicken stock and store it in the freezer for up to sic months.  The difference between home-made and store-bought is striking and I really cannot imagine the process to make chicken stock by a commercial manufacturer.   Not pretty.

Use the biggest stockpot you have.  I use an 12 3/4 inch copper pot which can hold up to 28 quarts.  This should yield 18 quarts.

Ingredients

•  12 pounds of chicken legs and wings or whatever is on sale at the market.  I usually make stock when I see chicken parts marked down at supermarket.
• 4 yellow onions quartered
• 8 carrots, rough chop
• 3 parsnips quartered
• 5 celery stocks, rough chop
• 1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
• 12 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• 1 bunch of fresh dill
• 2 heads of garlic cut in half, exposing the garlic cloves for cooking
• 6 shallots, halved
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixed peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons of kosher salt
• 2 lemons cut in half (if the stock is for soup only)

Making It

• Put all of the ingredients in a large stock pot and fill with water leaving two inches at the top, roughly 18 quarts.  You do not need to peel the onions carrots nor garlic.
• Put the stock pot over high heat until it comes to a rolling boil
• Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 4 hours
• Strain and discard all solids and put the stock in the cooking tub, cover and refrigerate for 36 hours.
• Discard the fat that has formed on the top and either use the stock or put it in containers, label and freeze.