Use a whole chicken. Trim fat and remove all of the organs such as liver, heart, gizzard and reserve if you wish. If you have a leftover smoked turkey carcass, this will produce the delicious flavors you may be seeking for that post Thanksgiving gumbo. Use a large deep stock pot, cover carcass or chicken with 4 cups water, add 2 carrots cut into a few rough pieces, 2 stalks of celery cut into large pieces, 1 onion quartered (you don’t even have to peel it), 3 cloves garlic, smashed, 5 sprigs parsley, 1 tsp thyme, 2 bay leaves, pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of fresh black pepper. Bring the pot of seasonings and the chicken to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking at a brisk simmer. Once the chicken is cooked, 45 -60 minutes, remove from the pot and allow to cool. You can debone the chicken and reserve meat for a soup or gumbo or chicken salad. Place a colander or sieve over a large bowl and strain vegetables from the broth. This stock can be frozen in several smaller containers and thawed as needed.
Yield: 1 quart chicken stock
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