So why make your own broth? The main reason is that you’ll get a richness of flavor in your homemade stock that you just can’t buy at the store. Homemade broth has an intense chicken flavor and an unbeatable smell. While the thought of making your own broth may seem intimidating, we promise that it’s not! In fact, it requires little attention once all the ingredients hit the pot.

　　

Ingredients

makes 2 quarts

　　2 pounds chicken bones (from about 2 cooked chickens)

　　1 large onion, unpeeled and quartered

　　1 large carrot, roughly chopped

　　2 celery ribs, roughly chopped

　　1 leek, roughly chopped

　　2 bay leaves

　　2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs

　　2 fresh thyme sprigs

　　5 whole black peppercorns

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Place all of the ingredients except salt and pepper into a 5-quart stockpot and cover with cold water. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Check the seasoning after a couple of hours and season with salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 2

Remove the pot from the heat and let the broth sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, skim the coagulated fat off the top of the broth.

　　

note

Step 3

If you don’t plan to use your broth within 48 hours, pour the broth into ice cube trays and freeze, then put the broth cubes in zip-top freezer bags. The broth will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.