Chicken Neck Stock

There’s no need to waste the chicken necks that come stuffed inside whole roasting chickens. Just collect them in a freezer bag over time and once you get about 1½ pounds, use them to make this flavor-laden stock. There are two advantages to using necks in stock rather than other parts of the bird: First, the meat is very dark, which means a more intense and gamy flavor. Second, there’s a whole lot of bones and cartilage in the neck of the chicken, which adds even more flavor and depth to the stock. So the next time you roast a whole chicken, do yourself a favor and start collecting those chicken necks to make one of the richest chicken stocks around. • makes about 6 cups stock

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• 2 quarts water
• 1½ pounds chicken necks
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into eighths
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, cut in half
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh sage
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 black peppercorns
• Kosher salt to taste

Place the water, chicken necks, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 3 hours, skimming the top to remove any foam that has collected every 20 minutes.

Strain the stock through a colander or fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids. Discard the solids and reserve the stock. Salt to taste.

The stock can be used as a base for sauces and soups and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.