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1
Place the chicken in the pot of a 5-quart slow cooker, or use a 4 1/2-quart soup pot.
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2
Pour enough cold tap water over the chicken to cover it (about 10 1/2 cups).
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3
(The exact amount of water doesnt matter so long as the chicken is covered, but 10 1/2 cups will make enough stock to equal seven cans of purchased broth.
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4
The chicken and vegetables will release the additional 1 1/2 cups of liquid.)
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5
Next, add the onion, carrots, and celery.
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6
Cover the pot.
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7
If you are using a slow cooker, cook the stock for 5 hours on high or 10 hours on low.
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8
If you are using a soup pot, first bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 hours.
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9
Check the stock from time to time, adding more water, if necessary, and spooning off any foam that collects on top.
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10
When the stock has cooked, transfer the chicken pieces to a bowl to cool.
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11
(The meat can be removed from the bones for later use.)
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12
Discard the vegetables.
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13
Ladle the stock through a strainer.
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14
(You can cool the stock at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before straining, but it isnt necessary.)
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15
The next step is a secret that comes courtesy of Molly ONeills New York Cookbook.
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16
For a really rich chicken taste, stir a little commercial chicken bouillon into the strained warm stock.
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17
(ONeill actually recommends this step for adding a rich taste to finished chicken soup, but we think this is a great idea for homemade stock as well.)
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18
We like to use a tablespoon of reduced-sodium chicken bouillon crystals.
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19
If youd rather use 4 regular chicken bouillon cubes, add them with the vegetables so theyll dissolve.
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20
After the stock has been refrigerated for several hours, scoop off any fat from the surface.
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21
The stock can now be used in place of canned broth in all of our recipes.
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22
Although the amount in cans of cicken broth varies we package most of our stock in 2-cup amounts.
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23
We also usually package some in 1-cup portions, because thats another common recipe amount.
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24
You can put it in containers that hold the amount you think youre most likely to use.
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25
For storage, use Tupperware or any airtight, hard plastic containers you have.
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26
(Recent studies have cast doubt over whether its safe to store leftovers in reused, soft plastic containers such as margarine tubs and sour cream containers.)
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27
The stock will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days; covered and frozen, for up to 2 months.
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28
Thaw frozen stock overnight in the refrigerator, or defrost it in the microwave.
