One of my favorite things about the weather finally getting cooler is the comfort food that accompanies the season. Soups, stews, and chili are some of my favorite. And nothing is better is than using homemade chicken stock.
My favorite way to make stock takes advantage of scraps from already-used vegetables and chicken bones. It has all the flavor but doesn’t cost anything to make!
In the freezer I save in separate bags any chicken bones (I just save the bones from rotisserie chickens) and vegetable scraps. I like to save carrot peals, celery leaves or ends, pieces of onion, stems of herbs, even mushroom stems. Make sure the scraps are still good quality. If they are going bad or molding, throw the out! Here is the basic recipe I use to make delicious homemade stock.
Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Stock
- 2-3 rotisserie chicken carcasses
- 2 freezer bags filled with:
- Carrot and carrot peals
- Celery
- Onion
- Herbs (such as parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage)
- 8-10 peppercorns (I just unscrew my pepper grinder and toss them in!)
- Water
If I have it on hand, I also add in a fresh head of garlic (cut in half), one or two onions, a few bay leaves from the pantry, and any fresh herbs I have lying around. My favorite herbs are parsley, thyme, rosemary.
Directions for Making Homemade Chicken Stock on the Stove
-Place chicken, vegetables, and herbs into a large pot (mine is a 12 quart stock pot)
-Fill with water until chicken and vegetables is covered (about 2 gallons)
-Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered for 4-12 hours (I always taste it about 5 hours in to check for flavor and color). The longer it can simmer the better!
–Optional: when foam begins to form on the top, skim off with a spoon. This allows for an overall better flavor and clearer stock.
-Strain through a fine sieve and pour stock into heat safe bowl. Discard vegetables and bones. I usually strain the stock twice.
–Optional: Salt stock. The recommended amount is 1 Tbs to 4 cups of broth.
-Store stock in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I like to freeze it in 2-3 cup batches so you always have some on hand! I like these containers to store my stock.
Making homemade stock is easy and delicious. And using scraps is cheap, too! By just spending a little time at the stove, you can enjoy your favorite soups and stews all year long!
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