Directions

• Step 1 Coat the bottom of a large stock pot (12 quart), with olive oil. Place half of the chicken pieces, skin side down in the bottom of the pot. Heat on medium high, and let cook until the the chicken is browned. Add the rest of the chicken pieces and stir the pot, cooking and occasionally stirring until the chicken is no longer pink.
• Step 2 Add the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, leek greens (if using), and bay leaf to the pot. Cover with 6 quarts of cold water.
• Step 3 Bring to a boil on high heat and reduce to a low simmer. If scum rises to the surface of the pot (this usually happens in the first half hour of cooking), skim off with a large metal spoon. Let simmer at a low simmer, uncovered, for 4 to 6 hours.
• Step 4 Use a large metal spoons with holes in it (or a “spider ladle”) to ladle out the cooked chicken and vegetables. (These aren’t really good to eat, by the way, because after 4 hours of cooking, all of the nutritional value has been cooked out of them.) Discard.
• Step 5 Use a large sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth or a dampened paper towel (or if using a very fine mesh sieve no need to line), and place over a large bowl or another large pot. Pour the stock through the sieve into the bowl or pot to strain out any remaining solids.
• Step 6 Either pour into jars at this point, or if you want, what we like to do is to boil the stock on high heat for 1 hour, to reduce it by about half. This way you are storing concentrated stock, which takes less room in the freezer or refrigerator. When you are ready, pour into jars.