Homemade Chicken Stock

Chicken broth with potatoes and chicken.

Boiling the poultry bones

Spices

fresh rosemary

Bowl and strainer set

Strained chicken stock

homemade chicken stock

Chilled stock

Chilled chicken stock

Making homemade chicken stock is easy to do and so much more flavorful than store bought broth. Simply save chicken and turkey carcasses from rotisserie chickens or roasted chicken dinners. Save both the skin and bones in zipper freezer bags and store in your freezer until soup making day. The featured recipe used three store-bought rotisserie chicken carcasses and bones from several turkey legs and thighs.

Place the frozen poultry bones in a large stock pot. Cover the bones with water and bring to a boil. Stir often to break up the frozen bones. Cover the pot and simmer on medium low for about an hour.

Remove the lid and add spices.

1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
8 whole cloves
4 cloves crushed garlic (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Chopped green onion, yellow onion or chive

Add fresh rosemary, lemon wedges and parsley or celery leaves if desired. Simmer uncovered for about two hours, or until the water is reduced by 1/3 to 1/2. The more bones you have the richer the broth and the less water than needs to be evaporated. Add more water if the bones become uncovered.

Choose a large strainer and place over a bowl.

Carefully pour the stock into the strainer and drain.

Discard the bones in the trash. The featured stock recipe made eight cups of broth. Use the stock immediately or refrigerate. Add potatoes, rice or noodles when serving for a delicious soup. Return to the stove and add carrots or other vegetables and simmer until the vegetables are soft for vegetable soup. The broth is concentrated, add more water as needed.

Chill the stock in the refrigerator to separate the fat. Scrape off the fat and discard for fat free broth. The spices settle to the bottom of the stock.

The chilled stock has a gelatin like appearance, but quickly turns into a thick rich broth when heated. Use in any recipe that calls for stock or freeze in a zipper bag for up to three months.

Tips:
Measure into one or two cup servings and place in zipper bags. Label with the date and amount. Freeze the packets flat on a cookie sheet for efficient storage in your freezer.

Thaw packets overnight in the fridge or simply warm up frozen gravy in the microwave or in a sauce pan.

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