Chicken or beef stock is used in soups, stews, sauces, stuffings, rice and pasta dishes, gravies and in many other recipes. Use fresh chicken or beef or use frozen and thawed chicken or beef. Use a whole cut up chicken or chicken thighs, legs, backs, wings... any bony chicken parts. For beef stock use beef ribs, shanks or any meaty beef bones.

For a deeper, richer stock, roast the chicken parts or beef bones, along with the vegetables, before cooking. Although it's possible to make a good stock without roasting first, this extra step will make a more robust stock. Place the chicken parts, or beef with bones, in a roasting pan. Add the vegetables and about one half inch of water. Bake in a preheated oven at 450° for 45 minutes. Transfer the roasted chicken and vegetables or roasted beef bones and vegetables to a stock pot, then follow the directions below.

Chicken Stock

• 3 pounds chicken pieces
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley (or 1 T. dried parsley)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes

Beef Stock

• 4 to 5 pounds beef with bones (about 2 pounds of this should be meat)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 or 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1 T. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried parsley)
• 2 beef bouillon cubes