Homemade Chicken Stock

Chicken stock is kind of the unsung hero of cooking, especially homemade chicken stock. It is the base for risotto, many sauces, and most soups. Chicken stock is also used to give extra body and flavor to rice, vegetables, gravy, and chicken pot pie.

Chicken stock is one of my kitchen must-haves, and making it at home is incredibly easy. You honestly just dump kitchen scraps in a crock pot, and cook on low until it looks done. You’ll be able to tell; there’ll be golden bubbles of fat on the surface, and your whole house will smell like chicken noodle soup. You can feel all crafty and domestic for having done practically nothing. It’s a good feeling.

Ingredients

• Chicken carcass (I usually just use the remnants of a rotisserie chicken)
• Vegetable scraps (onions, celery, carrots, and tomatoes are my go-tos, but anything that’s not too pungent or delicate works)
• Salt and pepper
  
• Many small containers

Instructions

Dump everything in the crock pot and cover it with water. Cover and let it simmer on low heat for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. At this point, mine is usually done, but check for those golden fat bubbles.

When it’s finished, scoop out the veggie scraps and chicken carcass and throw them away. Finally, strain the stock and preserve in small containers. Freeze until needed. (The chicken stock will keep for about six months, but mine never lasts that long.) Enjoy!