There’s nothing quite like having homemade chicken broth in the freezer or pantry, ready for the next pot of soup. It has more flavor, less sodium and, best of all, it makes good use of something being tossed out.

Fall and winter are the months when we have a pot of soup for at least one meal a week. I have my regular favorites, like my sister-in-law’s taco soup. Our family favorite is our potato dill cheese soup made with our dill cheese curds. The combination of small bites of fresh cheddar cheese with dill is the “cherry on top” for this soup.

To make chicken broth, I take the carcass of a roasted chicken and submerge it in water in a stockpot. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for a couple of hours to bring out the flavor. Then scoop out the larger bones and discard them. Pour the remaining liquid through a fine strainer to remove the small particles. Let the broth cool for 45 minutes, making it easier to skim the fat off the top with a soup ladle.

The broth can be put into freezer bags, typically four cups to a bag. Lay the bags flat in the freezer so they are easy to stack when frozen. Another option is to pressure-can the broth for shelf-stable storage. One of the things I like about making broth from scratch is how the remains of Sunday’s roasted chicken become the basis for another meal. After a few hours, you have homemade broth ready for your next pot of soup.