Stock - Chicken or Turkey

This is a recipe everyone should own - it will save you lots of money with minimal effort. Just buy a whole chicken (or turkey), roast it (or you could just pop it into a crockpot on high for 4-6 hours), then eat. After you are finished eating the meat, pick off the rest and store for future use. Keep the carcass and make stock. So easy, so rewarding. I freeze my stock by measuring 2 cup increments into quart sized freezer bags (be sure to label with contents and date). Seal the bags and lay them flat on a cookie sheet, place the cookie sheet(s) in the freezer overnight, then in the morning you will have easy to store bags of stock. To use the stock you can just place the bag in a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave for 1 minute, then add to whatever you are making that calls for stock. You could also plan ahead and let it defrost either on the counter or in the refrigerator (just be sure to place the bag in a bowl so it won't leak). After Thanksgiving I used the turkey carcass (in my roasting oven) to make tons of stock. Anyhow, here is the recipe:

Chicken/Turkey Stock

1 carcass, practically picked clean
2 bay leaves
1 onion, peeled and quartered (or a handful of dehydrated onions)
2 carrots, peeled and quartered (or a handful or so of dehydrated carrots)
1 sprig of thyme


1. Toss all ingredients into a large stock pot and fill with water (the water should cover as much of the carcass as possible).
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.
3. Strain. It is easiest for me to pour everything except the carcass into a large measuring cup (with a spout) then pour the broth from there through the strainer. Freeze in quart bags in 2 cup increments.

Great Idea! You can also use the tops of carrots and the bottoms of garlic cloves (that would otherwise be thrown out or composted) to season the stock. Just pop them into baggies in the freezer and pull them out when you are ready to use them.