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I use homemade chicken stock in place of water in just about every recipe or at least half water half stock. Homemade chicken stock has a wonderful flavor and adds depth to rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, etc. Plus, it is loaded with all kinds of vitamins and nutrients, just check out this post from Wellness Mama!
Until recently I was using the crock-pot method out of Easy. Homemade. but I found that I did not like tying up my crock-pot for days at a time. As an added bonus, when I started using this stove top method I was able to obtain richer, darker stock!
My stove top method will tie up one burner on your stove all day, think 16 plus hours, but it is worth it! Just wait until you see that rich, dark, aromatic stock. For a comparison, I made two batches of stock one I allowed to cook overnight for 16 hours and the other one I cooked for 8 hours. As you can see in the photo below the longer the stock cooked the darker, and more nutrient rich it became.
Homemade Chicken Stock
Ingredients:
- Bones from 2 whole chickens (or equivalent amount)
- 4 large carrots
- 4 stalks of celery
- 2 onions
- 6-8 cloves of garlic
- 2 TBSP vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
- Water enough to fill the pot up (mine holds roughly 17-19 quarts of water plus all the ingredients)
- Stock pot
- Large bowl
- Cheesecloth or paper towels
- Storage containers (freezer safe ones are best if you are not going to can the stock)
Directions:
- Place chicken bones in pot.
- Quarter onions and add to the pot.
- Roughly chop carrots and celery and add to the pot.
- Smash garlic and throw it in too.
- Fill the pot with water and add in the vinegar.
- Place pot on burner, cover with lid, and heat over medium to a slow boil.
- Once stock starts boiling, reduce heat to low-medium.
- Allow to cook until reduced by half, roughly 16 plus hours. I start mine in late afternoon and finish it by the next morning.
- Turn burner off and remove lid and allow to cool for an hour or two.
- Line a fine mesh strainer/colander with cheesecloth or paper towels.
- Place the lined colander over a large bowl.
- This is the tricky part, so be careful. That stock is HOT!
- Slowly pour the stock into the colander until the colander is 1/2 to 3/4 full.
- Allow the stock to drain through.
- Remove colander and scoop out stock into your storage containers.
- Repeat process until all stock is remove from pot and is in the containers.
- Allow containers to cool then place lids on them and store.
Notes:
- In case you are wondering, lining the colander with cheesecloth or paper towels, helps catch any small particles and some of the grease/fat that maybe in the stock. If you are using paper towels you may have to change them. As tempting as it may be to wring out the cheesecloth to get all the remaining bits of stock out I would recommend against this because you will squeeze out the fat and other odds and ends the cheesecloth caught.
- I do not know how to can so I use Ball Jar Plastic Freezer Jar. They are wonderful and come in 8 ounce and 16 ounce sizes. I have bought them at Target and Amazon. I use the 16 ounces for stock and soup storage exclusively.
- I make homemade chicken stock about once a month and it can get pretty expensive. For ways to save money on homemade stock check out this post here. I follow all the tips I outlined in that post and my stocks always come out wonderful.
My pot holds just over 5 gallons of water, if you are using something smaller reduce the water as needed. You could cut the recipe in half. An average stock pot holds 12-16 quarts which is 48-64 cups. Okay so as I was writing this I was thinking about all that wasted chicken fat that it could be used for something… Anyone got any ideas?
Have a blessed day!
Brandi
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A slow cooked, rich, aromatic and full of flavor, vitamins and minerals homemade chicken stock. A great base to soups, stews, and many other recipes.
Ingredients
- Bones from 2 whole chickens (or equivalent amount)
- 4 large carrots
- 4 stalks of celery
- 2 onions
- 6-8 cloves of garlic
- 2 TBSP vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
- Water enough to fill the pot up (mine holds roughly 17-19 quarts of water plus all the ingredients)
- Stock pot
- Large bowl
- Cheesecloth or paper towels
- Storage containers (freezer safe ones are best if you are not going to can the stock)
Instructions
- Place chicken bones in pot.
- Quarter onions and add to the pot.
- Roughly chop carrots and celery and add to the pot.
- Smash garlic and throw it in too.
- Fill the pot with water and add in the vinegar.
- Place pot on burner, cover with lid, and heat over medium to a slow boil.
- Once stock starts boiling, reduce heat to low-medium and simmer.
- Allow to cook until reduced by half, roughly 16 plus hours. I start mine in late afternoon and finish it by morning.
- Turn burner off and remove lid and allow to cool slightly.
- Line a fine mesh strainer/colander with cheesecloth or paper towels.
- Place the lined colander over a large bowl.
- This is the tricky part, so be careful. That stock is HOT!
- Slowly pour the stock into the colander until the colander is 1/2 to 3/4 full.
- Allow the stock to drain through.
- Remove colander and scoop out stock into your storage containers.
- Repeat process until all stock is remove from pot and is in the containers.
- Allow containers to cool then place lids on them and store.
Looking for more Condiments, Dips, Seasonings & Sauces Recipes? Then you need to check out my Recipes: Condiments, Dips, Seasonings & Sauces board on Pinterest!
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