Make homemade chicken stock from leftover roasted chicken bones to save money and reduce food waste. Use this flavorful stock as a delicious base for your next dish or store it in the freezer for future soups.
Preheat an at least 6 quart dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.
While preheating, chop carrots and celery into rough thirds and quarter the onion. Chop garlic head completely in half to expose the cloves. Leave skin and peel intact.
Add the canola oil once the dutch oven is preheated. If your chicken parts aren’t frozen, sear off the backbone, any leftover skin and wingtips until they get some color on them, they smell like roasted chicken and the skin is crispier. If the chicken parts are frozen, just add the whole thing into the pot and proceed to the next step.
After the backbone is seared and golden brown, add in carrots, celery, onions, garlic, fresh thyme, parsley, peppercorns, parmesan rind and chicken juices (if using).
Cover with 8-10 cups of water. The water should just be covering the ingredients but be ½ - 1 inch below the rim.
Increase the heat to a medium high to bring it to a low boil. Once it comes to a boil reduce to a simmer (medium low to low heat). You want to see small bubbles that are gently breaking the surface while simmering.
After 1 hour, skim any impurities off if desired and allow to simmer for 3 more hours uncovered. Skimming off the impurities allows for a clear chicken stock, but if that doesn’t matter to you, skip to the next step.
After 4 total hours, carefully remove large solids. Strain liquid into another pot or large heat proof metal mixing bowl through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Discard any solids.
Cool stock in the bowl or pot in an ice bath or in the sink surrounded by ice. Do not chill hot soup in a glass bowl, it will crack once it hits the ice. Once chilled, remove fat that rises to the top and then portion out into containers. If freezing, leave room for expansion.
Notes
Measurements are all guidelines minimum, you can always add more of anything.
Use on their way out or slightly bruised aromatics and herbs, they’ll work great.
Chicken stock should slightly solidify like jello after being cooled.
Skim fat off chicken stock once cooled.
Store chicken stock in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or up to 6 months in the freezer in a plastic container to avoid cracking.
Leave room in the container if you are freezing to account for expansion.