Chicken Broth
- One 5-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces (See Note), or 5 pounds chicken backs, wings, necks, and gizzards (without the liver)
- 2 large Spanish onions (about 2 pounds), left whole and unpeeled
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into quarters
- 1 large head of garlic
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ham hock (optional)
- Fine sea or kosher salt
- Place the chicken, onions, and red pepper in a large stockpot.
- (Mine is 16 quarts.)
- Rinse the garlic head in cold water and then peel off the papery skin.
- Break up the garlic into individual cloves.
- Rinse and cut the roots off the cilantro.
- Cut a piece of cheesecloth the size of a kitchen towel.
- Put the garlic cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cilantro on the cheesecloth, bring the ends together to make a little pouch, and tie the whole thing up loosely with kitchen twine.
- Give the pouch a few good whacks with a kitchen mallet and add it to the pot.
- Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by at least 2 to 3 inches.
- Drop in the ham hock if using.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming foam off the top as it forms.
- When the water comes to a boil, adjust the heat so the broth cooks at a steady but not rolling boil.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
- Check to make sure the breasts are cooked through and then remove them from the pot.
- Cook 15 minutes more, remove the legs and thighs, and set aside to make another chicken dish.
- If youre using backs, necks, wings, etc., you dont have to remove anything.
- Leave them in to further flavor the broth.
- Cook for 1 hour.
- Set a strainer over a large bowl and line the strainer with a couple of layers of cheesecloth.
- Carefully strain the broth through the cheesecloth.
- (Ladling it is the easiest and safest way.)
- Add salt to taste.
chicken, onions, red bell pepper, head of garlic, fresh cilantro, black peppercorns, bay leaves, ham hock, kosher salt
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/chicken-broth-2 (may not work)