| Step | Do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Bones + aromatics, cold water | Cold start lets foam rise to skim |
| Simmer | Bare simmer 2–4 hrs, skim | Hard boil turns it cloudy, greasy |
| Season | Lightly, or later when cooking | Stock reduces and concentrates |
| Finish | Strain, cool fast, chill/freeze | Safe, fat lifts off when set |
How to Make Chicken Stock
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Put chicken bones or a carcass and aromatics — onion, carrot, celery — in a stockpot, cover with cold water, and simmer gently for 2–4 hours, skimming the foam and never letting it boil hard. Strain and cool it quickly; a bare, low simmer is what keeps the stock clear and clean-tasting instead of cloudy and greasy.