Forgot – add rice wine and a little light soy (Kikkoman or other decent quality) for the asian-style stocks.

Or just let the stock chill overnight and lift the fat lid off the next day. In the colder months of the year, I put the stock pot outside (too big for the fridge, really) with a bungee cord through the handles and over to keep food critics out.

@ Greg – for chicken stock I usually add fresh chicken wings to the carcass (or just use wings if I’m not following on from a roast bird). They’re a great base for a chicken stock.

For ‘western-style’ stock, add onions, celery, carrots and black peppercorns, bay and thyme (pretty much per chezjake). Sometimes a few whole, bashed cloves of garlic. For asian-style clear stock (noodle soups etc), I add root ginger, garlic, peppercorns and bashed spring onions to the chicken bones. For a thick, dark chinese-style stock I use pork ribs, star anise, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and a couple of hot dried chillies. Thicken the finished soup with potato starch mixed to a paste with cold water.

Apart from skimming the scum I don’t bother clarifying unless making consommé , which I very rarely do as too lazy.