Chicken Stock

This is how I make my chicken stock.

I roast a chicken (rinse chicken first, then salt the inside of the cavity.  In a 375 degree oven roast until temp reaches 165 degrees.  I have a temp gauge that I insert into the thickest part of the meat, it alarms me when it reaches temperature so there is no guessing or timing.  The one I use is just like the one at the bottom of this post.

Then I let the chicken cool.  Strip all the meat off of the chicken & I put that in the fridge to save for enchiladas or my tortilla soup.  I am going to use it to make my tortilla soup.  I then take the bones & some skin (little fat) and put it in a stock pot with carrots, the inside, leafy pieces of celery (the heart?), parsley, onions with skins, garlic cloves & skins & cover with water.  I don't usually need to add any salt because I had salted the inside of the chicken cavity before roasting.  You can also do this with a rotisserie chicken from the store.  Strip the meat & save the carcass.

I then bring it all to a boil & then lower it to a simmer for 45 minutes (if I am in a hurry) to 4 hours or over night (very low heat).  You can simmer it all day, the longer the better.

Once I'm ready to use it, I then take cheesecloth.  You can get it at the grocery store.  And strain the stock & carcass & veggies through it (I line a strainer with the cheesecloth).  I strain it into a very large bowl or another pot.  Then lift the cheesecloth out with the carcass & veggies & throw it away.  Super easy.  This tastes better than any chicken broth or stalk I have purchased to use in my recipes.  I can tell a difference when I don't make it from scratch.  It's too easy not to!  Let it cool throughput before refrigerating it.