Chicken broth, chicken stock, bone broth… it’s all very similar with a few subtle differences. This is technically a chicken stock because it includes bones with some leftover meat still attached and water simmered with a mirepoix of onions, celery and carrot. It’s also bone broth because if cooked for an extended period of time, the collagen is drawn out even further by the longer cook time and the result has a gelatinous consistency. Either way, homemade broth is far superior to most products sold, especially those sold in tin cans and cardboard boxes.
You may notice this doesn’t have any garlic or salt. The goal is to make it as deeply flavored as possible but keep it neutral for a variety of uses. Seems funny to say that not everything I want to make with this broth needs a garlic flavor – I do love garlic! Not putting any salt ahead of time allows for more control when making your desired dish.
I won’t go into the science and “studies have shown” about bone broth, but rest assured a warm cup of this with some lemon and salt is delicious and I’m convinced has kept me pretty healthy over the past few months. At the very least, you have a killer broth that adds loads of flavor to your dish.
Cheers and good health to you,
Christina
Low and Slow Chicken Stock
There is nothing more comforting than a pot of chicken stock simmering away all day long. And there is nothing more delicious and healthy than to make your own! I keep several quart containers in my freezer at all times – this is possible by freezing bones and carcarsses from whole roasted chickens and when I run out of room in the freezer, it's time to make stock. Endless possibilities, endless health benefits.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs roasted chicken bones and carcass, meat picked off
- 6 quarts cold water
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
- 2 carrots, cut into a few large chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut into a few large chunks, including leaves if possible
- a few sprigs of parsley optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp peppercorn
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
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Place chicken parts and cold water in a large stainless-steel stockpot. The water needs to cover the ingredients by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat.
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Once boiling, immediately turn down to the barest of simmers – one bubble here, one bubble there. Using a slotted spoon or or a small hand fine mesh strainer, skim off any foam. This helps keep the stock clear.
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Add the onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, peppercorn and apple cider vinegar to the pot. Simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 hours. To keep the stock from getting cloudy, no stirring needed.
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Strain stock thorough fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Let cool until no longer warm and then pour into quart sized containers or mason jars. These can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 4 months.
Makes about 4-5 quarts of stock.
Recipe Notes
* If bone broth is desired, simmering on low in a crockpot for 18-24 hrs makes a delicious, even more gelatinous broth. Just follow the same directions as above but add all ingredients to the crockpot at the same time, cover and let it simmer away.
*You can easily skim off the fat from the top after refrigerating or freezing/defrosting the stock.
*I try to keep a quart of bone broth in my refrigerator and drink it fairly regularly, especially during cold and flu season. I heat up a cup of broth, add a pinch of sea salt and squeeze half a lemon. Delicious!
