Chicken Stock
makes about 2 quarts
NOTE: A cleaver will quickly cut up the chicken parts. A chef's
knife will also work, albeit more slowly.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
4 pounds chicken backs and wing tips or whole legs, hacked with cleaver into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion to large bowl.
2. Add half of chicken pieces to pot; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onion. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onion and chicken pieces to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
3. Increase heat to high; add boiling water, salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
4. Strain broth and discard solids. Skim fat (see figure 2, below, and figure 3) and reserve for later use in soups or other recipes, if desired. (Broth can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen for several months.)