This is a pretty simple chicken broth that I use in many recipes. It is loaded with nutrients to help keep our bodies healthy. And it just tastes so much better than store bought. I often save the backs and extra pieces of chicken when I cut them down to cook in various dishes. I place those pieces into a container in my freezer. Once it gets full or I am in need of some broth I will pull them out to boil.
One gallon bag of parts will usually make a large pot of broth. I will make a large batch and then can pint jars of the concentrated broth for later use in the year. It is perfect during cold season to have a jar on hand for anyone feeling sick.
Now you might ask what is the difference between broth and stock? Well broth is usually made with only the meat, bones, water, and a little salt for taste. Stock will often have all of that with onions, celery, carrots, and herbs. They are both delicious, but I tend to just make broth for my regular use. And it makes the best base for Chicken Noodle Soup.
Take the time to make some for your next soup or sauce need. I promise you will never want to use store bought ever again!
Chicken Bone Broth
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- Saved chicken parts
- Water
- 1-2 tbsp salt
Instructions
- Remove chicken from wrapping and remove any innards placed in cavity of chicken. The neck, heart, and giblets are usually placed inside the cavity. They will either be in a bag or just set inside. You can use them if you like or discard. For broth to make soup I usually only keep the neck piece, but when I am making bone broth, I will often boil the other parts as well. It will only add extra vitamins to the broth. Place your chicken and parts in a large pot. (Big enough to hold the whole chicken covered completely with water.) Fill the pot with water until chicken is completely covered. Add 1-2 Tbsp of salt to the water, and turn heat to high. When the water begins to boil, reduce heat to medium low. Allow the water to boil at low for a minimum of 1 hour adding more water if it gets low. As the chicken boils the water will concentrate into a rich broth, so adding the extra water will keep it from getting too strong. You may find while the chicken cooks a layer of oil and foam builds up at the top. You can strain off any of this excess oil or foam from the top and discard. When the meat begins to fall away from the bones, and the bones start to separate at the joints it is ready.
- Strain the broth from the bones and meat using a fine mesh strainer. Spread the meat and bones onto a cookie sheet or shallow baking pan to cool and use for a later time. If the water has cooked down at all the broth will be concentrated in flavor. You can dilute now to your taste or leave concentrated as is and store for later use. If you would like less fat in your broth, allow the broth to cool on the counter and then place in the fridge overnight. Once it has sat over night you can remove the solid fat at the top. I like to either fill quart size freezer bags with 2 cups of concentrated broth or preferably pressure can for shelf stability.
Leave a Reply