Chicken Stock by Chef Rachael Afra

Chicken Stock

Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 6 hours Total: 6 hours and 15 mins

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 Whole fryer chicken carcass 

2 Spanish onions, quartered

4 Celery stalks, rough chopped

2 Large carrots, rough chopped

1 Bunch cilantro stems

6 Black peppercorns

2 Bay leaves

9 cups cold water

Preparation:

1. In a 5qt. Dutch oven add your chicken carcass, washed vegetables, aromatics, and water. Uncovered. 2. On the lowest setting of your stove you want the stock to slowly steep. 3. If you see foamy parts building up, skim them since it makes the stock cloudy. 4. After 6 hours, turn off the heat, and strain. Discard vegetables, carcass, and aromatics. 5. Divide up. Freeze for 3 months or 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Chef's Note:

Any vegetable scraps will do, just leave out starchy vegetables like potatoes or squashes. Tomatoes, beet, and beet greens can change the color of the stock. Never add salt, since it can become very salty as it reduces. When it comes to aromatics thyme, black peppercorns, and bay leaves are what you would use in your stock, never use rosemary, lavender, and tarragon it can become bitter and overwhelming. Always use cold water, never boil, and don't put the lid on it since it can raise the temperature and cause it to boil.  Also, this is chicken stock, not consomme. Consomme is a different recipe.