Chicken Stock From Bone

1 whole chicken carcass
1 large onion, quartered
1-2 carrots, cut in large chunks
3 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
1 garlic clove, halved
3 whole cloves
1 slice of lemon
fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp black pepper
2tsp salt
6 cups water


1. Put the leftover bones and skin from a chicken carcass into a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Add remaining ingredients.

2 .Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to bring the stock to barely a simmer.

3 .Simmer uncovered 2-3 hours, occassionally skimming off the foam that comes to the surface.

5 . Strain the stock.

6 . (If making stock for future use in soup you may want to reduce the stock by simmering a few hours longer to make it more concentrated and easier to store.)

Notes about the Fat from Deanny's Blog: I've seen a lot of newer cookbooks advocate the skimming of the fat from the stock. Some prefer the traditional method of letting the fat settle in a layer on top of the stock as it cools. This way, the fat acts as a protective layer against bacteria, which is found in the air. The stock will last longer if you keep the fat layer on it. Just lift up the layer of fat and remove the stock when you want to use it. Every few days, bring the stock to a simmer for 10 minutes and let it cool, again with the fat forming a protective layer. Your stock can be stored in the refrigerator and used for up to a couple of weeks this way.