Homemade Chicken Stock

Ingredients

1 chicken carcass (whole chicken that has had meat removed).

1 onion with skin on

Parsley - 3-4 stalks with leaves

2 carrots

2 large celery stalks

4 bay leaves

2 teaspoons oregano or thyme (depending on preference)

Water

Salt and pepper to taste

Note:

If you can’t find a chicken carcass, use a whole chicken – you just need to use more

water and add a stock cube for flavour.

Method:

1. Put all ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with water – make sure the water level is a centimetre above the ingredients in the pot.

2. Bring pot to boil, then simmer on medium heat for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. You may need to add extra water to keep ingredients well covered.

3. After 3 hours, remove from heat and use tongs to remove the chicken and vegetable pieces and place them on a plate.

4. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into another pot or large bowl.

5. Pour into glass containers or jars (note you can use funnel if putting into glass jars).

6. Cool stock on the bench before you refrigerate.

7. Make note of the volume of stock you are adding to each container (useful when cooking later on).

Note:

1. As the stock cools, the fat will rise to the surface, and once full cold it will solidify white – this does not need to be removed.

2. The chicken stock will firm up into a jelly like consistency when cold – this is due to the gelatin. which is a good thing!

3. Homemade stock will keep in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for 6 months.