Simple Chicken Stock is a great recipe to learn and have on hand. I use this stuff all the time, sometimes multiple times a day. I always prefer homemade, it has better flavor and more nutrients because it's fresh and has no preservatives in it. Best of all it uses something what would normally get thrown out and makes a delicious and hearty stock.
I don't know about you, but before I started making my own chicken stock, I would feel guilty after having a roasted chicken and throwing away the carcass. It feels like it is such a waste. I knew it was a great way to make homemade chicken stock but I felt like I didn't have the time or space to keep stock.
Boy was I wrong.
After I took the plunge and made my first stock I realized how easy it was. I now save chicken bones when we make things other than roasted chicken (like my Moroccan Chicken Thighs) and store them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. When the time comes to make Chicken stock I add whatever bones I've collected.
If I've been making a lot of chicken stock I'll store it a few different ways. One way is as pictured, in a mason jar, this is usually what I use on a daily basis. Another is freezing the entire batch in a big container, this is usually earmarked for soup because it is so big. And another way I love storing homemade stock is in ice cubes, this is a little time consuming because I will freeze them in ice cube trays and then transfer to a ziplock bag that's kept in the freezer. These cubes are awesome when you just need a little stock (steaming veggies) or heat up a few for a mug of stock in the morning (I do this when I'm trying to cut back on my coffee intake).
P.S. Those bubbles of golden fat on top are wonderful and make for a flavorful and hearty stock. You want plenty of them.
PrintSimple Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 Chicken Carcass
- 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tsp Salt
- Water
- 1 Large Onion (Chopped)
- 5 Cloves Garlic (Smashed)
Instructions
- Place the Chicken carcass in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven or large pot (5+qt will work). Add enough water to cover the carcass and add in the apple cider vinegar and salt. Turn the burner to med-low and put the lid on it. Make sure the lid is firmly in place and that the heat is not to high or you will lose water and risk boiling the stock dry. Let simmer over night.
- You can also do this in a crock-pot if you have one big enough.
- In the morning scrap off an grey/white foam that's accumulated, take care to not scrape out too much fat that floating on the top (that's the good stuff) . Also check the water level, if it's low (less than half of what you started with) add a bit more water- you want about ¾ of the pot full of stock.
- Add the onion and garlic and simmer for another 2 hours.
- Allow the Stock to cool and strain before storing. This will refrigerate well for 3-4 days or freezer for 6 months if stored properly.
Notes
I keep a Cast Iron Dutch Oven on the stove at all times, it usually has something bubbling away in it and is wonderful for making stocks.
I also recommend Cheese cloth for straining the stock thoroughly.
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