3 1/2 pound chicken (3 1/2 to 4)
1 onion coarsely chopped
1 med carrot coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
6 whole cloves
Cut chicken in to 9 pieces; legs, thighs, breast pieces, wings and back bone. Use the neck if available but reserve the liver for another use. Combine all of the ingredients plus 2 quarts water in a large pot. An eight quart pot is best. Bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes. Don’t bother skimming the fat and the foam as it it rises to the surface. The stock will be strained after cooking. Remove chicken pieces and use in another recipe. Remove stock from heat and taste. It should have a nice chicken flavor as well as a nice color. Strain using a quadruple thickness of cheesecloth. Salt very lightly as stock may be reduced for another recipe which would render it over salted. The broth can now be used or immediately refrigerated. If you plan to refrigerate the stock cool it to room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator. Remove the congealed fat layer on top of the broth before reheating. Stock can also be frozen.
Makes a scant 2 quarts chicken stock.