TOP Tuesday - Chicken Stock

I love drying vegetables.  When the grocery stores run carrots, celery, green onions, or leeks on sale I buy lots and dry them.  Once fully dried, I put them in jars and vac seal them.  Properly stored, they can go into long term food storage.  I believe that if they are properly dried and stored they are still edible for 10 years.  Not that I would keep them around for that long, after all...you need to turn your pantry over.  First in first out and all that.

But I do have some that are 4 years old.  It's time to use them.  Luckily we have been butchering chickens like crazy around these parts.  When I package chicken, I usually either package whole roasters or cut up chicken.  Since we don't eat the necks, wing tips, or backs.....those get saved for making stock.  So today I am making stock from chicken and 4 year old vegetables.

First, I arrange the chicken pieces on a roasting sheet and roast in the oven at 350º for an hour.

You want that golden goodness and crispy bits to add flavor and color to your stock.  By the way, see that lovely fat blob in the corner?

More flavor.  Without that, I'm afraid the stock would need a good dollup of butter.

Now for the vegetables....carrots...

Celery...

Leeks...

and Mushrooms...

The chicken, and all of the vegetables go into a large stockpot and I add enough water to completely cover them.  I know the color of the veggies looks off....but it comes back when they are rehydrated...

Because the flavors of the dried vegetables are so intense, I am able to make a LOT of stock from this.  Once the flavor and color is right on the stock, the stock is drained off.....more water added to the chicken and veggies and another batch begins.  I should get 4 batches.
Just look at the rich color of this stock!  The flavor is just as rich and delicious!

I've got 14 jars in the canner now, and expect to get at least 14 more before the stock is done.  This stock is so good that I plan to dry veggies just for using in stock!