- One 5-pound (2.25-kg) chicken or fowl
- 8 cups (2 l) water
- In a tall narrow stockpot, bring the chicken or fowl and water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes if using a chicken, 2 hours if using a fowl. Remove the chicken or fowl and allow to cool slightly. Leave the stock at a simmer.
- Remove and discard the poultry skin. Remove the meat and reserve for another use. Break up the carcass and return to the pot; simmer for at least 4 hours and 30 minutes for a chicken, 4 hours for a fowl, and up to 12 hours for either. Add water as necessary to keep the bones covered. Partially covering the pot with a lid or using an otoshi-buta will mean less evaporation.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Skim the fat. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Remove the fat from the top of the stock and the sediment from the bottom . Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze.