Basic Chicken Stock

Basic Chicken Stock
1 chicken or stewing hen (5 lbs)
3 celery stalks with leaves
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
Parsley
thyme and rosemary
Salt, pepper
Put whole chicken with wings and legs tied neatly to the body in a heavy pot. Surround with the vegetables and herbs and add water almost to cover. Salt, pepper. If you brown the chicken in fat beforehand, the finished stock will have a golden tinge to it. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer gently until bird is tender, which will take 60 to 90 minutes or at least 2 hours for a stewing chicken. You may use, instead of a stewing hen, a 3 to 4 lb. chicken. Simmer until meat comes off the bones. if you can use the cooked chicken meat in pieces, and do not need the bird kept whole, you can strengthen the stock by removing the bird when it is done, skimming and boning as soon as sit is cool enough to handle and replace the skin, bones and neck in the stock to cook for another 30 minutes, at the same time, reducing the liquid somewhat, either way, strain stock and then put it in the refrigerator. In this way, a layer of fat will form on top which will keep the stock airtight. it should not be removed until you are ready to use it. 
Source: My Old Recipes
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Category:Cathy's Recipes