Homemade Chicken Stock
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 6 hours
Total time: 6 hours 10 mins
The most nutritious ingredient you can add to any dish is homemade chicken stock. When made properly this extremely nourishing liquid strengthens the immune system, heals leaky gut, improves digestion, and makes everything taste a whole lot better!
Ingredients
1 whole organic, free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
8-12 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 large onion, quarter chopped
2 carrots, broken into pieces
3 celery ribs, broken into pieces
2-3 bay leaves
4-6 cloves of garlic (smashed)
1 strip kombu or 2 tablespoons any variation of sea veggies (seaweed)
Small handful of Unrefined sea salt (a small handful)
Small handful Black Peppercorns
1 bunch fresh parsley (optional)
½ a lemon
Instructions
Remove the organs from inside the bird, (the neck will go in the stock pot). Remove as much skin as possible, not worrying about the wings (this is the hardest skin to remove). Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with filtered water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30-60 minutes. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes if using a whole bird (see note below). If you are using bones reserved from a previously roasted bird simmer for 2 to 6 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, turn off heat and add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth. Once stock has slightly cooled add the juice of half a lemon. This will alkalize the acidity of the broth helping to also balance the flavor.
Allow stock to cool to room temperature before storing, especially if storing in plastic bags or containers. Strain the stock through a sieve or colander into a large bowl or vessel and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and store the stock in covered 1 quart containers in your refrigerator or freezer.
*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.
*Note: If you are using a whole chicken, remove chicken after 40 minutes of active simmering over medium heat. Let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve this meat for other uses, such as chicken salads, casseroles, sandwiches or soups. Return the bones to the existing broth and continue cooking 2-6 hours as per instructions above.
Use an Instapot instead! Use the same ingredients with any bones you may have in the freezer from whole chickens. Cover with water and a dash of Apple cider vinegar. Seal the lid and set on “Soup” setting.