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1
Preheat the oven to 375.
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2
Pull any obvious hunks of fat off the chicken pieces, and place the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan.
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3
Season the pieces generously with salt and pepper.
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4
When the oven is hot, pop the chicken in and roast for 45 minutes.
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5
While thats going on, put the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, and thyme in a soup pot.
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6
Pull the chicken out of the oven when its done, and put the pieces in the soup pot.
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7
Skim off the fat from the roasting pan and pour in 2 cups of water.
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8
Set the pan over medium heat on top of the stove and stir, scraping in all the tasty browned meat juices clinging to the sides and bottom of the pan.
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9
Pour these pan juices into the soup pot, along with 3 more quarts of water.
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10
Set the pot over high heat and bring quickly to a boil.
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11
As soon as it starts to bubble, knock the heat down to low and simmer the stock.
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12
As the ingredients in the pot heat, a scum will rise to the surface.
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13
Skim it off every 5 minutes or so til it stops appearing.
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14
Cook, uncovered, about 3 hours to pull the flavor out of the ingredients and into the stock.
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15
Skim as much fat off the top as you can.
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16
Then line a arge colander with several layers of dampened cheesecloth.
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17
Set the colander over another large pot and strain the stock.
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18
Press down on the veggies and meat with the bottom of a small bowl to squeeze out any remaining liquid.
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19
Season the stock to taste with kosher salt.
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20
Pour the stock into quart containers and chill, uncovered, in the fridge, til the fat solidifies on the surface.
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21
Remove the fat and discard.
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22
Cover the stock and use within several days, or label and freeze for use later.