Quick Homemade Chicken Stock

Number of Servings

Makes about 2 quarts

Ingredients

Very small amount of oil,1 medium onion, chopped medium,4 pounds chicken backs and necks; hacked with cleaver into 2-inch pieces, 2 quarts boiling water,2 teaspoons salt,2 bay leaves,Handfull of fennel stems; cleaned and tough strings removed

Directions

1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat until shimmering; add onion and sauté until softenedslightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer onion to large bowl. Add half of chicken pieces to pot; sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until no longer pink and a thermometer registers at least 165 degrees.
Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onion. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
Return onion and chicken pieces to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken releases itsjuices, about 20 minutes.
Increase heat to high; add boiling water, salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and barely simmer until broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.

2. Strain broth and discard solids.
Refrigerate for several hours and spoon off fat and discard. (Stock can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen for several months.)

Comments

With apologies to the great Maryland chefs who are justified in holding to the belief that great stock cannont be made quickly, here is my suggestion on stock for the everyday chef-wanna be like me.If chicken necks, backs, livers and hearts are not available at your market, substitute chicken wings. A cleaver is best for hacking the chicken parts, though a heavy chef's knife will also do.