If someone had told me 20-odd years ago that I would be making my own chicken stock, I would have rolled my eyes at them and made some snarky comment about having a life.  Luckily with age, usually comes some wisdom and I now absolutely live to make my own stock.  The stock I make most is chicken stock as it’s what I use most in my cooking. Sure I still have the canned stuff in my pantry, just in case; BUT if I want to make something that makes me truly proud, it simply must start with my own homemade stock.

For me, the beauty of stock is its simplicity: I keep all of my veggie & herb scraps in a sealed bag in the freezer and when I have a chicken carcass (on average, I average about 1 Roasted Chicken each week), I break it up, add the veggies, throw in a Tbsp or so of kosher salt or sea salt (the grey French stuff is my fav for stock), a large pinch of black peppercorns, and a few bay leaves.  All that’s left is to cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer with a lid for at least 3 hours, but ideally 4 hours or more.  When all of the yummy goodness has been coaxed out of what would have otherwise been thrown in the trash, let it sit off the heat with the lid off for at least an hour (so I don’t scald myself), and slowly pour through a sieve lined with an immaculately clean kitchen towel or repurposed pillow case (I think that proper cheesecloth is way too expensive to use for stock).  Once the stock is chilled, all of the fat can easily be scraped off the top and saved for a future use.  I keep a quart of the fresh stock in the fridge to use for menu planning for the next few days and freeze the rest in cup-sized portions for future projects. It’s also a nutritious and comforting option that can be heated in the microwave straight from the freezer on days when the medicinal properties of hot broth are needed but the patient is too under the weather to cook.

I’ve studied numerous TV Chefs who make their precisely measured, always consistent stocks (and I’m sure they’re all wonderful); but part of the fun of being a home cook is that you don’t have to be consistent. The beauty of homemade stock is that you use the scraps you have and turn them into liquid gold.  I easily get enough stock out of a batch that would have cost me $7 to $10 at the grocery store, but costs me nothing. At the same time, it’s sustainable, nutritious, and better than any bought stock. It will fill the house with a warm and comforting aroma and inspire you to create better dishes than you ever thought possible.  My stock is never exactly the same each time I make it, but that keeps life interesting…and delicious!

Happy Eating!