modern chicken stock

Homemade chicken stock may seem daunting, but it's really very easy and a great way to use up vegetables that are past their prime. I never throw away rubbery carrots or scraps of celery and onion - they make the richest stock. Traditional recipes call for a whole chicken and often waste the leftover meat - I find chicken bones leftover from another recipe work just as well.

I like to pour cooled stock into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, I pop them out into large plastic storage bags and store in the freezer. One cube is about a tablespoon, so it's very convenient to grab one as needed for sauces, or a whole bag for soup.

makes 6-10 cups of stock, depending on how much water you use

bones from one whole chicken, or 4-5 chicken drumsticks or breasts
1 cup carrots, chopped into large chunks (or whole baby carrots)
4 celery stalks, chopped into large chunks
1 large onion, quartered (don't worry about peeling it)
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
3 tbsp kosher salt (plus more to taste after)
1 bunch herbs, such as parsley and thyme

Place all ingredients in a large boiler pot and add enough water so it comes 2 inches from the top. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 2 hours, covered. Strain to remove solids, then refrigerate for an hour. Remove from refrigerator and skim off fat solids on top of broth. Reheat a small amount and taste for seasoning, adjust as necessary.