Ingredients

  • 4 pounds chicken bones (carcasses, or necks, backs, wings, etc.)
  • 2 medium onions, cut in half
  • 1 4-inch piece of ginger
  • 2 carrots, peeled
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 6 quarts water
  • Salt, to taste
  • Lime juice, to taste

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken bones in a roasting pan. When oven comes to temperature, roast bones for 1 hour, or until thoroughly browned. Remove from pan and place in a 10-12 quart stock pot.
  • Place onion halves (peels removed) over the open flame of a gas burner. Use tongs to turn onions when needed. When onions are blackened, place in stock pot. Repeat method with ginger, but cut ginger into 1-inch pieces before placing in pot. Add carrots and celery to pot.
  • Make a sachet of spices: Pile star anise, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves and garlic in a cheesecloth, and tie with kitchen string to make a little pouch. Add pouch to pot, as well as cinnamon sticks.
  • Fill pot with 6 quarts of cold water, making sure to cover all ingredients (add more if you need to). Bring pot to a boil and immediately turn heat down to medium-low. Let the pot simmer with the lid slightly ajar for 4 hours. Refrain from stirring here, so that you'll end up with a clear broth.
  • Remove all bones, veggies and spices from pot. Turn heat up to medium-high, and reduce to about half of its current amount. Taste, and add salt if needed. When broth is full-bodied and flavorful (and this depends on personal preference), remove from heat and cool. Add a healthy sprinkle of lime juice, if desired.

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