Basic Chicken Stock

5 pounds uncooked chicken or turkey pieces and/or bones (skin and fat discarded), or a mixture of bones from roasted poultry and uncooked meat scraps
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 carrot, rinsed and cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, leafy tops left on, rinsed and cut into chunks
1/2 cup parsley sprigs, rinsed
5 peppercorns (optional)
1 dried bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme, rinsed, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

In a 6-8 quart pan over medium high heat, combine chicken, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaf, and thyme. Add cold water just to cover. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to maintain simmer and cook, occasionally skimming and discarding foam from surface until liquid is golden and has a deep chicken flavor, about 2 hours. Do not allow stock to boil, the surface should barely be disturbed by small bubbles.

If a layer of fat forms on the surface, skim off and discard. If liquid drops below level of chicken and vegetables, add more cold water just to cover.

Place a fine strainer over a large bowl nested in ice water in the sink. Ladle or carefully pour stock through strainer. Allow liquid to drip from solids, but do not press to extract more; discard solids. Stir stock occasionally until cool, 10 to 20 minutes; cover and chill until stock is cold and any fat on surface is firm, at least 6 hours, or up to 1 day.

With a spoon, skim fat from surface of stock and discard. Cover stock and chill up to 4 days, or pour into jars or ice cube trays and freeze up to 3 months.

BROWN CHICKEN STOCK:
Follow directions for basic chicken stock, but before beginning step 1, place a single layer of the chicken piece or scraps, meat side down, in a 6-8 quart pan over medium-high heat. Cook without disturbing until meat is well browned, 7 to 10 minute (take care not to scorch). Using tongs or a long handled fork (meat may stick; pry it up from the pan bottom), turn pieces and cook until second side is browned, about 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium. Pour 2 cups water into pan and stir, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits. For deeper color, leave the onion unpeeled. Adding remaining ingredients, proceed with step 1.