Method
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the chicken bones with the oil and roast on sheet pans until deeply browned, 35–45 minutes.
- Add the mirepoix to the pans during the final 20 minutes. If using tomato paste, stir it into the vegetables for the final 5 minutes.
- Transfer everything to a stockpot. Deglaze the pans with some of the water, scraping up the browned bits, and add that liquid to the pot.
- Add the remaining water. Bring slowly to a bare simmer and skim the surface. Add the herbs and peppercorns.
- Simmer gently for 4–5 hours, skimming and adding water only as needed to keep the bones barely covered. Do not boil or stir.
- Strain, then cool rapidly in shallow containers or an ice bath according to your food-safety plan. Refrigerate and remove the solidified fat, or freeze.
Notes
Leave the stock unsalted so reductions and derivative sauces remain controllable.
Component recipes
These are direct ingredients or options used by the recipe above.
- For the mirepoix added after roasting the bones, use Classic Mirepoix.
Related recipes and techniques
These are extensions, technique comparisons, or serving relationships; the complete recipe above remains usable as written.
- The carcass from Herb-Roasted Whole Chicken can become part of the bone batch.
- Use the finished stock in Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup.