I use onion, carrot and celery also, but I roast them on a sheetpan first. Normally then I throw everything in the crockpot overnight on low then strain the next day. I don't put any seasoning in because I really don't know what the stock will ultimately be used for.

Recipe for stock?

Put what you have into a pot, cover with water and simmer like forever.

I like to save all the skin i can in a bag in the freezer....adds lots of collagin....and the usual...rough chopped celery, onion, a carrot and the stems of parsley used for something else....and a lemon rind or 2...one that you have previously used the juice from.

I always salt when I use it, some birds have so much solution added that they can become too salty.

I always cover the pot lest it boil dry....if you want to concentrate it, boil hard without a lid when you are close to watch it.

I’d suggest cooking at a simmer, uncovered. skim the foam that rises to the top. you can use a vaiety of veggies including a little tomato or mushroom stems if you have it but cruciverous vegetable and asparagus are not generally included.

Chicken feet. I can sometimes get chicken feet (paws) at Whole Foods. When I see them I buy one or two one-pound bags just for adding to the stock pot.

I also save the skin and fat to use in the pot. My Mom always said that the flavor is in the skin/fat, and if you throw that away your soup won't have any flavor. (I skim off the fat after the stock/soup is made.) I cook the whole chicken until the meat is done; pick-off the meat and put the bones, skin and fat back in the pot to simmer for a few hours longer.

I also use whole garlic and Bay Leaf, (I don't think those were mentioned), as well as lots of onion, carrots and celery. I even occasionally toss in a chili pepper... just because.

Ina G. has a good recipe you could use as a guide. Easy to add/omit whatever you like. This makes a lot so adjust as needed.

https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/homemade-chicken-stock

Break up the carcase with your hands the best you can---especially the rib cage. I roast my bones with a quartered onion and some veg like a carrot, parsnip or what i have. I roast in the turkey roaster right away so no extra cleaning. Maybe adding a bit of liquid----water or leftover white wine, a half a beer...just a scant 1/4 cup.

An hour will do at 375º. In my stockpot, the roasted bones go in first. Then pack on top with any crisper veg on hand---i like leek tops, onion, celery, carrots...simple. I never cover fully with water at all. Barely cover the bones as all the veg will release their water content pretty quickly. I don't simmer for hours and hours. 6-8. I like a fresh tasting stock but very concentrated not using so much water covering.

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

I make mine in a pressure cooker, and it takes a fraction of the amount of time this way - 30 minutes on simmer under pressure (or perhaps an hour), and then allow to cool without releasing pressure - about another 20-30 minutes.

I make mine in my manual pressure cooker, too, Lars. It is so much quicker.

I make 2 kinds using either plain raw chicken bones and necks, etc. with fresh bay leaf, or just the seasoned drippings and carcass of a roasted bird. I never add any onions, spices or other vegetables.

For Thanksgiving, I make turkey stock for gravy with the neck, giblets (excluding liver), wingtips and bay leaf and let it simmer while the bird's cooking. I make stock from the turkey carcass the same way as from roasted chicken.

I normally do simmer stock for a long time, tho, and a bit of acid (citrus juice, vinegar) helps leach out calcium from the bones, I think. I usually cook stock until it becomes jelly when cold. I also never add salt.

Salt. If there is not enough salt it will taste like a dirty dishrag.

I cheat and add a Knorr chicken bouillon cube, after cooking if the broth has a 'flat' taste.

Just a note to add that a crockpot or pressure cooker works just fine, but I make large amounts for canning. The big roaster can hold enough that I can get a full canner load of 7 quarts, can it and start again, getting all those "parts" out of my freezer, where I don't really have space.

Annie

The key is roasting the bones and veggies.

I always add something acidic usually lemon juice or occaisionallly cider vinegar to the water. It helps leach the minerals out of the bones. I like to add fennel fronds to the pot. It adds a touch of sweetness. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a slow simmer, cook uncovered overnight. Or you can pressure cook the instant pot for 120 minutes on low pressure.

I make chicken bone broth every week, it is my daily "snack".

If you can get them, chicken feet make a huge difference in the quality of the broth.

I do a lot of meat stocks in the oven, covered, in a deep half pan. Mirepoix, bouquet garni, pepperorns with color depending on what kind of stock I'm making. Into the oven at 190-200 for 6 hours to overnight depending on the bones. Strain, chill and defat, and sometimes I'll do a round of reduction on the stovetop. If I'm doing a brown stock with raw bone I'll sometimes blanch and and usually pincer the bone before making the stock. Seafood and vegetable stocks get simmered on the stovetop for an hour or so at most before straining off and cooling.

Don't boil your stock- yes the collegen to gelatin conversion happens faster at higher heat, but it also can increase the fat, minerals, and other stuff emulifying into your stock. Skimming can help remove this stuff (as can blanching raw big bones), but keeping it to the simmer helps give you a clearer and cleaner stock. A note with pressure cookers here- they work because while under pressurized boil, it does not cause the vigorous boil activity that emulisifies. Using the natural release allows the stock to remain still while the cooker is de-pressurizing. Try not to quick release because that can cause some boil activity. I like to use my instapot for some stock making too :)

Don't skip finishing your stock off if you can help it. Take the time to chill and defat your stock. This gives time for your flavors to rest and marry and chilling makes defatting easy. And if you like you can use the schmaltz for cooking. I do not season the finished stock, preferring to do so at the time of using the stock to allow for any other salt I might be using in the dish.

If you find you are having boring stock... consider re-evaluating how you are roasting your turkey. If you aren't currently stuffing the bird with some good aromatics before roasting, do so. The carcass gets tasty or stays more bland during the roasting. If you are putting your aromatics and seasonings in at the beginning of the stock cooking process, consider using a stuffing/cheesecloth bag to use as a giant teabag. Aromatics can steep out fairly quickly, so you can add a second fresh bag or even put in the first bag later in your stock making time. That can shift/alter the final taste of your stock. If you put your carcass into bag, that can make for easier straining of the stock after cooking. If you are using dry herbs, those can go in earlier since they can stand up to cooking better. If you are using fresh, try adding them in later so their flavor carries better. A bit of acid can be your friend. The tomato for brown stock. Try citrus for your poultry stock- stick a lemon or orange into your turkey before roasting. Put a dash of vinegar or wine into your stockwater.

Exercising my stock options:

1. Bones with lots of attached meat, a little salt, into the pressure cooker. No water. You will get a few spoons of incredible juice for special recipes.

2. After step one above, add water or broth from step 3 below, into the pressure cooker again to make regular stock.

3. After step #2, add water once more and cook the bones again in the pressure cooker. Amazingly there is s till flavor left after cooking the third time. You can use this thin stock for step number 2, or add some MSG for making ramen.

I don't add vegetables for making pure stock. Vegetables are added for different recipes.

I always use pressure cooker. When you make stock in a pot on the stove, the whole house smells good. The pressure cooker keeps the good smell in the stock instead.

dcarch.

Every chicken carcass goes into the freezer until I have enough, generally after I have cooked 10 pounds of chicken leg quarters for the dog. All the bones go into the 8 quart Instant Pot along with some salt, bay, garlic, onion, celery, peppercorns and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I add chicken feet if I have them. Fill with water and any "stock" from making the chicken legs and set for 2 hours. Chill over night and remove the fat then strain. I can it for the pantry and generally net about 7 quarts.

I made an Annie style stock mid March 2020. The NYC restaurant suppy opened to home residence. My freezer was thinning as it does every early spring. That bone box was probably 50 pounds. Frozen---separate bags of various paws, meaty beef, chicken carcases...what a restaurant would need to get a stock cauldron going. Pulled out the big lobster pot and started a batch right away from frozen. Roasted a mixed bone in the turkey roaster in the oven while prepping some veg. Carrots, onion, celery...let it simmer overnight. Excellent stock.

Annie is the energizer bunny of all things kitchen. Large extended family.

That was very satisfying to have stock for months---many meals and a pantry full of grains, beans, seeds, nuts. Five crates of veg, mostly root vegetables--some sturdy leafy greens. To cook and freeze if need be. Unsettling times.

I've never made a big batch since. I only used a third of that box but froze the rest in small batch portions.

I never salt my stocks. Veg has sodium especially celery. I salt later depending how i use it. Also veg is full of water.

I started making stock probably 35 yrs ago via a few magazines subscriptions. Basic stock like the big kids. Jacque, Sara Molton, Julia, Ina, Martha...or who ever was on PBS at the time. Simple 3-4 hour small batch stocks can have great flavor with the basics.

I made a simple small batch stock Tuesday after a roast chicken Monday holiday dinner. Just six 1/2 pints i froze and a gravy for a chicken pot pie. It was a rich jelly not expected. Back burner stock while doing other things. Easy to chill in an ice bath before the fridge.

I think the crime to 'dish water' stock is way too much water. Give it a chance to cook down the first hour. 2-3 inches of veg on top out of the water bath is fine---it will steam and add its own water to the pot and will be much richer not needing to cook down later.

Like the simple Martha recipe, HERE

After 30 minutes of bringing the bones to a boil, (then a slow simmer), press them down in your stockpot with a potato masher. Add veg. Never add more water. If you can help it.

Cut your carrots, celey, onion smaller than Ina. Break down those cell walls to let out more flavor in a shorter time. Rough chop is fine but she adds big chunks. Ina is very home cook friendly but she is wasteful. Cuts expensive puff pastry in circles and pushes the scraps aside. And she is wealthy.

I make a few classic stocks and season as i use them.

My most versitile is a full on milti-bone broth. If your stock does not gelly like the lower left pic it has problems. Way too much water and not paying attention to details. Once you get the best it is like riding a bike. Beautiful every time. Start small batch.

Making stock is definitely one thing that makes me glad I bought the Instapot. Like Lars mentioned, it is so quick and makes really good stock. No matter your method, I think the key is to remember that you can reduce it down until you are happy with the taste.

Like @carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10, I follow Ina Garten’s recipe. But if truth be told, I very rarely make stock from scratch. I generally use Swanson’s Chicken Bone Broth. Epicurious taste-tested boxed broths. Their favorite chicken broths were Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Broth and Swanson’s Chicken Bone Broth. https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-boxed-chicken-broth-stock-for-cooking-article

To basic chicken left overs, bones and carcass I add garlic, ginger, onion and coriander for an Asian style base for brothy soups.