And don’t waste a good whole onion, usable stalks of celery, or fresh parsley unless you have an abundance. Keep a baggie in the freezer. When you chop an onion, save the ends in that bag. When you chop celery, put the waste into the bag. Same for parsley -- the stems flavor broth as well as a fresh bunch. When you put the carcass into the pot, pull your baggie of collected veggie scraps out and dump them in, too.

Good comment!

My mother just left from visiting with me for 9 weeks. The biggest surprise was how much fun we had. But also, the dish we made out of chicken feet and neck bones. Sounds pretty thrifty huh?. It was inspired by the calf’s food “jello” she made for the family when we were young. Actually, it was a very hardened aspic that had vegetables and cook egg sliced in and we would eat it on black bread and horseradish. Now I know it is an acquired taste but it was made out of things the poor had access to - calf’s foot. The dish we made with chicken feet and necks was about the same - cooked in a water with onions, carrot, pepper, bayleaf, and garlic, drained, reduced and poured in a loaf pan with whatever else you want in it (we went traditional). Vinegar adds a biting taste to the broth and once chilled, sliced and served on black bread we girls were happy. So I got to say, whole chicken is yet a luxury. Once you start looking at the feet with a twinkle in your eyes you know you getting pretty basic. And for anyone bold enough to try, you can get “stock kits” at Kookoolan at the hillsdale farmer’s market. You may not want to make the Polish “jello” we ate but something like that. I guess it serves nicely as a demi-glace if that is more suiting to everyone’s taste.

Always remember that the food that are called luxury items today are food that the nobility lifted from the peasants. Caviar, lobster, paot au feu, cassoulet, foccacia, polenta, and more recently hangar steak and flatiron and flank.

And don’t be grossed out by Fasenfest’s “jello” ideas. That’s where gelatin comes from, the cartilage, ligaments and marrow of animal bones. Classically it’s called aspic, and it’s remarkably versatile.

I prefer to make the stock with just the chicken, and add vegetables to the stock when I am making my soups or whatever. That way I get the full benefit of the vegetables.

One of these days when I’m making broth, I’ll add vegetables. But up to now, I haven’t been able to see the point of putting perfectly good veggies in, only to strain them out when I strain the broth. Seems like a waste of veggies and of money.

Also, after you use the drums and thighs, save the bones and whatever meat is clinging to the bones in a bag or plastic container in your freezer. You can add them to your next stock batch.

batever,

What you miss out on in the wellrounded flavor provided by what are called “aromatics” in the trade - carrots, onions and celery (mire poix) and the herbs and spices (garlic, parsley, black pepper, thyme), and much of that nutritive value is transferred to the broth, so you don;t really lose it. That’s what grandma always recommended chicken soup for a cold.

batever, don’t use perfectly good veggies -- use veggie scraps. The ends of onions and carrots and celery, the stems of parsley are just as good at flavoring broth as the good whole veggies are. Save them in a baggie in your freezer, and when you make stock take the baggie out and add it to your stock.

Valeree has a good point from an economic and environmental standpoint, but from a flavor standpoint those carrot, celery and onion ends can be quite bitter. Compromise where you will.

Growing up in the world of Jewish penicillin I know that there nothing better then those flacid vegies served up with hot broth and egg noodles. My mom would add turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery, onion or whatever was on had. I have to say, I loved them soft and without a trace of texture. Funky, maybe, but oh so comfortable to a sick palate. I also loved eating the soft chicken wings and necks used to make the soup. So cook like a peasant and eat like a king (or princess as was my case).

A philosopher named Lin Yutang once said, “What is patriotism but love of the food we ate as children?”

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I think I will try making some batches with celery, onion, etc--for use in recipes that require fuller stock flavor--and some with just the chicken and no veggies, for use in soups and stews where I will be adding all of those veggies anyways.