Cooks' Note
You can often get the needed bones or carcasses from your butcher or fish market.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 to 8 cups
Ingredients
3 quarts water
3 yellow onions, quartered
3 cloves garlic, mashed (optional)
3 stalks celery, chopped
About 6 pounds chicken neck, back, leg, or wing bones with meat scraps, browned; or about 6 pounds beef with lean meat scraps, browned; or 3 to 4 pounds fish carcasses (without heads) and/or shrimp or crab shells
Preparation
Combine the water, onions, garlic, celery, and chicken bones, or beef bones, or fish carcasses and/or shells in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook up to 4 hours (but only about 1 hour for fast-cooking fish stock). Strain and refrigerate. For chicken or beef broth, skim congealed fat from the surface before using.
