Homemade Chicken Stock

​4 lbs chicken w/bone- (whole chicken-cut into pieces, backs, wings, feet, or legs) or 2 leftover chicken carcasses. 
1 onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, cut into large pieces-if you have celery leaves, add them to the stock
1 large carrot, cut into large pieces
8 sprigs parsley-stems and/or leaves
2 sprigs thyme or 1 tsp dried
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper or 4 whole peppercorns 
12 cups water-cold or room temperature

1. Place the chicken parts into a large stock pot. Add vegetables, herbs, and salt and pepper and cover with 12 cups water. 
2. Bring the water to a low boil and immediately reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered 1 ½ to 3 hours, occasionally skimming off the foam that comes to the surface.  The longer you simmer, the more concentrated the flavor. Note that the amount of finished stock will be reduced with a longer cooking time due to the evaporation in cooking.
3. Strain the stock into a large pot or bowl. Use right away or let the stock come to room temperature and either refrigerate (fat is easier to remove once chilled) or divide into 4 cup containers, label, and freeze.  Stock can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for one year.

* If using whole chicken, bone in breast, or thighs, once cooked  for 40 minutes, you can remove the meat from the bone and add the bones back to the stock to continue cooking. This will result in a better textured meat to use in soup or salad. 

Boil

Simmer

Stock after 12 hours in refrigerator

---