Brown Chicken Stock

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound fennel stalks, cut into 2-inch-thick pieces
• 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch-thick pieces
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 2-inch-thick pieces
• 1 medium onion, unpeeled and quartered
• 6 pounds chicken pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 6 parsley sprigs
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 16 cups cold water, divided

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Arrange the first 4 ingredients in the bottom of a broiler or roasting pan, and top with chicken pieces. Bake at 400° for 1 1/2 hours, turning the chicken once every 30 minutes (chicken and vegetables should be very brown).
3. Place the peppercorns, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves in an 8-quart stockpot. Remove vegetables and chicken from broiler pan, and place in stockpot. Carefully discard the drippings from broiler pan, leaving browned bits. Place broiler pan on stovetop; add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits.
4. Pour contents of broiler pan into stockpot. Add remaining 12 cups of water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
5. Strain stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Reserve chicken for another use; discard remaining solids. Cover and chill stock for 8 hours. Skim solidified fat from surface of broth, and discard.