Ingredients
5 sticks of celery
2 medium leeks
2 medium onions
2 large carrots
½ a bulb of garlic
2kg raw free-range chicken carcasses, legs or wings chopped
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
5 sprigs of fresh parsley
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
5 whole black peppercorns
Top Tip
I find that I tend to make this after we've had our Sunday roast; I just throw the carcass in a pan with any root veg and herbs I happen to have. However, you'll probably get a cleaner-tasting stock if you use raw carcasses.
Method
- Roughly chop the celery, leeks, onions and carrots. Leaving it unpeeled, bash the half bulb of garlic.
- Place the chicken carcasses, garlic, vegetables, herbs and peppercorns in a large, deep-bottomed pan. Add 6 litres of cold water and bring to the boil, skim, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Continue to simmer gently for 3-4 hours, skimming as necessary, then pass the stock through a fine sieve.
- Allow to cool for about half an hour, then refrigerate. Once the stock is cold it should look clear and slightly amber in colour. I usually divide it into small plastic containers at this point and freeze it. It will keep in the fridge for about 4 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months.
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