Making Stock.

Have you ever looked at the label of store bought chicken broth?  You'd be hard pressed to find one that doesn't have a ton of sodium, added sugars or one of any preservatives that are difficult to pronounce.  The best solution I have found is to cook up a big batch at home.  Making chicken or vegetable stock form scratch may sound daunting, but it is actually quite simple and you can control just what goes in to it.   The basic recipe involves onion, carrots, celery, spices and chicken bones.  Easy enough, but I have gotten into the habit of tossing any vegetable scraps into a big baggie in the freezer, as long as they are clean and not rotting at all.

After a week or two it's usually overflowing.  This is really pretty impossible to screw up.  I've used just about every combination of vegetables, whole and scraps and it always comes out beautifully. Then I just grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, eat the meat during the week, then toss the carcass into my stock on the weekend.  It could just as easily be made into a vegetable stock by skipping the chicken.  This is a great way to use up scraps that would otherwise be thrown away.

I put everything in my biggest pot, throw some seasoning on top, and let it simmer away for the afternoon (filling the apartment with the most wonderful smells).  Some recipes call for skimming any fat or foam that forms along the top of the pot, but I have never had this problem.  I guess it depends on how much fat and skin is still on the bones used.  After straining the solids from the liquid, you will have the most flavorful, rich stock, beating any store bought version by a mile, both in flavor and nutrition.

This makes a great base for soups and sauces, but to be honest, I have a hard time not just drinking it by the mug full.  I store my stock in a glass jar in the fridge and it keeps well for a couple of days.  Any longer and I would stick it in the freezer.

Chicken Stock

Makes as much as your largest pot can hold
(I usually get about 12 cups)

About 1 gallon ziploc bag full of vegetable scraps (carrot peels, onion tops and skins, potato peels, celery hearts, fennel greens, herb stems, etc.)
1 chicken carcass and skin
2-3 gloves garlic
2 bay leafs
1 tsp. pepper (whole peppercorns or ground)
1 Tbls. salt
3-4 sprigs fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary work well, I just use up whatever I have on hand)
Water

Place vegetables, carcass and spices in the largest pot you have.  (I just pull my veggie scraps out of the freezer and dump the bag in but fresh works fine too, again this is nearly impossible to screw up.)  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow stock to simmer for several hours, making sure there is enough water to keep the solids covered.  Skim any fat or foam that forms at the surface.  I let the pot simmer while I'm doing other things around the apartment, probably around 3 or 4 hours.  Strain the mixture through a sieve to separate the solids from the liquid.  Discard solids.  Allow stock to cool to room temperature.  Use in soup or sauce, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.  After the stock has cooled in the fridge, a layer of fat may form on top.  Scrape off and discard before use.