While it’s convenient to use boxed or canned chicken stock from the store, making your own from scratch is easy to do and the flavor payoff is well worth the time it takes to make. In full transparency, I keep plenty of boxed stock in my pantry for using in my recipes. However, every so often I will make a big batch of homemade stock to store in the fridge or freezer. Sometimes if I have enough, I will pressure can some to keep the pantry stocked up as well.
Ingredients Needed For Homemade Stock
- Chicken bones– If you roast a whole chicken or pieces of chicken, save the bones. Or you could simmer a whole chicken, remove the meat for other recipes and use the bones and carcass from that. Anytime you make a chicken, save the bones and carcass and freeze until you have enough and are ready to make your chicken stock.
- Vegetables- Carrots, celery, and onion are pretty standard. You could use other vegetables but make sure it isn’t anything that will make your water cloudy, like potatoes.
- Aromatics- This is your spices and herbs. Whole peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme or rosemary sprigs, etc. Just don’t overdo it. You want your stock clear, and tasting like stock not like herbs.
Steps For Making Chicken Stock
- Place chicken bones and carcass in a large stock pot
- Cover with cold water.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Simmer uncovered. You want the water to reduce by about half. (starting with 4 quarts of water should yield 2 quarts of stock when finished)
- Add vegetables and aromatics.
- Skim the surface occasionally to remove any scum that rises. This will help keep your stock clear.
- Simmer 3-4 hours, strain and cool.
- Once cooled, put in jars and refrigerate, freeze or pressure can.
