Chicken Stock

 After your chicken dinner:

• Cover the pot (non-reactive pot) filled with the chicken carcass, left over veggies, and drippings or sauce.
• Put it in the refrigerator to make the next day OR
• Start making stock as you clean up dinner.

The next morning or evening….depending on your schedule:

Cover everything in the pot with cold water and ¼ cup of cider vinegar or white wine.

The acid in the vinegar or wine will draw the nutrition from the bones.

Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer.

Remove any scum on the surface after about 30 minutes.

Continue cooking for at least 6  hours or longer if you have time.

I like to cook mine from 18-24 hours.  Using a crock pot makes this a safe option in a busy household.  I will often simmer the stock until I go to bed then turn it back on to finish in the morning.

As it continues to cook check to make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot.  Add water if it looks low. The longer you cook the bones, the more nutrition you draw from them.  If the bones fall apart you know it’s going to be good stock!

Once you’re done making the broth, pour it through a colander into a large bowl and allow it to cool quickly. Don’t cover it until it has cooled.

I usually leave it in the refrigerator for a day and allow the fat to come to the top. It’s easy to remove before pouring the broth into freezer containers of your choice.

A note about fat from chickens fed organic feed and pasture raised.

Don’t waste it.  If you’re lucky enough to get more fat than you want in each container of stock, spoon the rest off into a jar and save for cooking meats, veggies and soups.  The flavor held in good chicken fat will highly enhance your cooking.  Store in the refrigerator of course!  When you have stock in the freezer you’re half way to dinner!  Use it for soups, sauces, risotto…

Remember to label the bone broth and include a date before storing in the freezer.

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Vegetable Broth:

In a large stock pot:

Sauté 2 diced onions in olive oil

Once the onions are soft and smell sweet add:         

• 4-5 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 Tb. dried Italian parsley
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

After the garlic is softened, but not browned, add enough water to fill the pot ½ full.

Bring to a boil then add:  

• 2-3 cups of chopped carrots
• 2 cups of chopped celery
• ½ cup cider vinegar
• 1 bunch of washed & chopped greens if seasonally available*

Turn down the heat and simmer for a least an hour.

Cool and freeze in quart containers.

Remember to label your veggie broth and include the date.

*Note:  Stay away from strong tasting veggies like broccoli and cauliflower when making a veggie broth unless you plan to make a soup with them.