Chicken or Turkey Stock

Cooking a whole chicken or turkey? Consider saving the carcass to make a big batch of stock. This can be used as a base for soup, to boil rice or beans, or to steam vegetables. You can put extra stock into jars (leaving 1-2 inches space at the top), ice cube trays, or bags, and freeze for future use!

Ingredients: 

• Chicken or Turkey carcass

• Various vegetables cut into large chunks:

• Carrot, Celery, Onion, Fennel Bulk & Fronds, Mushrooms, Vegetable Scraps (celery ends, carrot peels, ends of  zucchini, broccoli stems, mushroom stems, squash peels, rutabaga/parsnip trimmings etc.)

• Seasonings of choice (consider mildly seasoning you broth so it is more usable for a wide variety of recipes)

• Garlic, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Bay, Cumin, Fennel, Coriander, Parsley, Dill, Ginger, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Miso, Whole Chilis or Chili Flakes

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot**, add your chicken or turkey carcass (either fresh or previously frozen).

2. Add in the vegetable pieces and vegetable scraps, along with the seasonings of choice. Consider mildly    seasoning your broth so it is more usable for a wide variety of recipes (example: keep the base stock very low sodium, so you can later add soy sauce, miso or other salty seasonings for flavor).

3. Cover ingredients with water and put a lid on the pot.

4. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

5. Simmer for anywhere between 2 and 24 hours —  cooking for longer will make a richer broth and extract more collagen from the bones (you may need to add more water as it cooks & reduces down).

6. Cool down and carefully strain out the chunks from the broth. Discard chunks and transfer broth into containers. Store in the fridge or freezer if not using within the next few days.

**You can also use a pressure cooker or slow cooker!