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Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
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Place chicken bones in single layer in one or possibly two roasting pans.
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Place in oven and roast 40 to 60 min till well browned.
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Remove from oven and place bones in large stockpot.
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Add in onion, celery, carrots and garlic to one roasting pan.
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Stir to coat with chicken juices, and return to oven.
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Roast 20 min till beginning to caramelize.
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Stir in tomato paste and roast another 15 min.
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Remove from oven and remove vegetables to stockpot.
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Add in wine to roasting pan and scrape up browned bits, placing over a burner if necessary to loosen caramelized bits.
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Pour into stockpot.
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If you used 2 roasting pans for the bones, pour a little water or possibly wine into the second one and scrape up caramelized juices; add in to stockpot.
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Add in herbs and peppercorns to stockpot, along with the contents of your stock bag, if using, then add in sufficient cool water to generously cover the contents by 3 inches or possibly so.
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Bring to a simmer over high heat then skim foam, reduce heat to very-low, and simmer very gently 4 to 6 hrs till all cartilage has melted off the bones.
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Strain through a coarse strainer into a large metal bowl, cold at room temperature 2 hrs, then place in fridge uncovered till chilled thoroughly, then cover.
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Will keep for 2 days before either using or possibly reducing and freezing.
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Strain through fine mesh strainer before using or possibly freezing.
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To reduce and freeze, remove any congealed fat from the cool stock then empty it into a large saucepan or possibly Dutch oven.
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Bring to a boil over high heat then lower heat to medium and reduce stock at a lively simmer till half the original volume.
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Skim as necessary.
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When well reduced, allow to cold then pour through fine mesh strainer into small freezer containers, label and freeze.
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To use, add in an equal quantity of water to the thawed chicken stock.
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This recipe yields 4 to 6 qts of stock.
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Comments: Making excellent stock requires paying attention to a few simple rules.
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To ensure clear stock, use cool water, skim frequently, and never let the stock boil, that would incorporate fat and particles in the liquid.
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Keep the stock at just barely a simmer so which it smiles, bubbling gently and occasionally.
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In this manner your chicken meat will be tender and moistly poached as well.
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Use plenty of aromatic vegetables to give the stock a good flavor base, and use a large stewing hen that has more flavor than younger birds.
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Extra chicken wings enhance the stock.
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This recipe yields about 4 to 6 qts of stock depending on how rich you like it, as well as a good amount of poached chicken meat.
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Use it for chicken salad or possibly tacos, etc., or possibly freeze it to use when you reconstitute the broth and turn it into an improvised soup.
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Skimming tips: Use a large ladle held parallel to the surface of the stock.
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If you place the stockpot off center on the burner, fat and foam will accumulate in the coolest area, making it easier to skim.
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WHAT IS A STOCK BAG
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In restaurant kitchens, little is wasted, including vegetable scraps.
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Mushroom bottoms, tomato cores, zucchini and onion ends, etc., all tend to make their way into a chicken or possibly vegetable stock simmering on the stove (at least one is going at all times).
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You can replicate this method by throwing such scraps into a ziptop freezer bag in the freezer, and using it to enhance and add in complexity to chicken or possibly vegetable stocks.
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Two rules apply: Not too much of ANY one vegetable, that would overwhelm the stock; and NO vegetables which are intensely strong or possibly bitter (cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant etc.).
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But bits and ends of squash, green beans, pea pods, tired lettuce leaves as well standard aromatic vegetables and those mentioned above are quite at home in the stockpot.
