Pantry Stuff: Broth

Whenever I roast a chicken or a turkey, I hang onto the leftover bones.  Usually, I'll stuff them into a freezer-quality ziploc baggies and plonk it into the freezer until I've gathered a couple birds' worth.  And then, it is into the cold storage along with the bits and ends of vegetables and the odd juiced lemon until I feel like pulling it all out, plonking it into a large stockpot and covering the whole shebang with water.  A long, slow simmer later, and I have some of the best rich stock anywhere.  It is marvelous for all sorts of dishes, from homemade soups and stews to baked rice casseroles.

It is possible to pressure can broth (I haven't yet tried it) or freeze it in canning jars.  My preferred method is to portion out 2 to 4 cup amounts and pour it into quart-sized freezer baggies, laying them flat to freeze and then they stack oh-so-nicely on top of each other.

Homemade Chicken Stock

You'll need the bones from a couple of roasted chickens; pieces of carrot, onion, celery and other vegetables or halves of lemon; water to cover; a large stockpot.

Place the bones in the stock pot, along with the vegetables and cover with water.  Pop on the lid, and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Lower the heat and simmer on low for a couple of hours until the stock is rich and delicious.  Allow to cool, pour off the liquid and strain the fat.  Scoop out into freezer bags, lay flat and freeze for later.  Be sure to date the baggies so you know when they were made and try to use them within 6 months.