Brown Chicken Stock

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

Cut up 2 (3-pound) chickens or use any combination of thighs, drumsticks, or breasts to make this chicken stock. Use a pan large enough to roast the chicken and all the vegetables in a single layer. If the pan is too small, the chicken won't brown properly. For further instruction, see our technique photos and tips for How to Make Brown Stock on page 12.

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound fennel stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, unpeeled and quartered
• 6 pounds chicken pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 6 parsley sprigs
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 16 cups cold water, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Arrange first 4 ingredients in bottom of a broiler or roasting pan, and top with chicken pieces.
3. Bake at 400° for 1 1/2 hours, turning chicken once ever 30 minutes (chicken and vegetables should be very brown).
4. Place peppercorns, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves in an 8-quart stockpot.
5. Remove vegetables and chicken from broiler pan, and place in stockpot
6. Carefully discard drippings from broiler pan, leaving browned bits.
7. Place broiler pan on stovetop; add 4 cups water.
8. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
9. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, scraping bottom to loosen browned bits.
10. Pour contents of broiler pan into stockpot.
11. Add 12 cups of water. and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
12. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
13. Strain stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl.
14. Reserve chicken for another use; discard remaining solids.
15. Cover and chill stock 8 hours.
16. Skim solidified fat from surface of broth, and discard.

Yield: 10 cups (serving size: 1 cup)