A homemade nutrient-rich stock is a must-have staple. You can store homemade stock in the freezer for several months, so why not make a double-batch! Just borrow a friend’s stockpot so you can have two pots going at the same time!
Having a good homemade stock not only makes your favorite stock-based recipes even more delicious, it makes them healthier too! That’s because meat stocks contain lots of nourishing nutrients and the gelatin that naturally results in a good bone broth is a known digestive aid and also helps the body to better utilize protein.
Cut your chicken into six pieces: Remove wings, legs and cut straight down the middle, removing the breast bone from the back bone.
A slow, long simmer helps to extract all the beneficial nutrients, gelatin from the bones and flavors from all the ingredients.
Remove the meat and return the bones and skin to the stock.
Use a large fine mesh metal strainer to separate the solids from the stock. (You can get one at Target for pretty cheap – it’s not only great for straining your stock, but for straining your grains too – like large batches of brown rice or oatmeal.)
The key to an exceptional stock is to press out all of the liquid from the solids. Take your time, keep moving the solids around and pressing out all the nutrient-rich liquids. Once I strain into a large bowl, I put my mesh strainer on top of my empty stock pot and press away to get out every last drop of liquid. Then just add it to the bowl of stock!
Ingredients
- 1 4-5 lb. whole organic chicken
- 1 gallon (16 cups) filtered water
- 2 medium yellow onions, quartered
- 2 leeks, chopped, white and pale green parts
- 6 stalks of organic celery, quartered (include greens)
- 4 medium carrots, quartered
- 6-8 springs fresh organic flat-leaf parsley
- 6-8 springs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 quart (4 cups) of filtered water
Instructions
- Cut chicken into six pieces (see photo above) and add to extra large stock pot. Add approximately 16 cups of water making sure to cover the chicken by about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow chicken to simmer for a half-hour, skimming any foam from the surface.
- Add remaining ingredients. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to bring to a gentle simmer. Allow chicken and veggies to simmer uncovered for one hour, making sure chicken is cooked through.
- Turn off heat. Transfer chicken pieces to a platter to cool. Once cool, remove meat and reserve skin and bones. I like to shred the chicken meat and place it into individual containers of either two to three cups per container, based on what recipes I have planned for using the meat. Place container(s) in frig if using within five days or place in the freezer for up to one month. A five-pound chicken generally yields about 6 cups of shredded meat.
- Return chicken skin and bones to the stock, and add one-quart of filtered water. Turn heat on high and bring stock back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
- Pour contents through a large fine mesh metal strainer into a large deep bowl (see photo above). Press solids to extract flavors and liquid. (Pressing the solids is such an important step, keep pressing and squeezing until you get every last drop, as you will get tons of nutrients out of the solids, as well as extra gelatin and flavors.) Discard pressed solids. (If your strainer or bowl are not large enough, just do this step in batches, removing the stock as noted below, to make room for the next batch.)
- Store stock: Be sure to stir the stock well before you place it into individual containers, because you want to have all of the oils, gelatin and flavors evenly distributed. (I store my stock in individual containers of two cups each.) Then place container(s) in frig if using within five days, or place in freezer for up to three months.
Notes
It’s completely normal for your stock to develop a nice thick solid jell across the top when refrigerated. In fact, it’s not only “normal,” it’s the true sign of a good stock. Do not skim this off, this thick layer of gelatin is loaded with healthy nutrients!
Just wondering when you press everything at the end, do you press the veggies too? Any large chunks?
Yes, the veggies are all completely soft, so I just press the solids, including the liquids into order to extract the stock. You’ll be surprised by how much stock you’ll lose if you toss all the solids without pressing them first.
Is there any use for the leftover solids? Since they have chicken they can’t go into the compost bin, so I’m curious if anyone has found a use for them? Thank you!
You can put all of the solids (especially the skin and bones) into your crockpot and use them to create a “perpetual” bone broth, I’ve done this a few times and I find that although it’s not as flavorful as the original stovetop batch, it still contains a lot of gelatin and nutrients. However, if you add some additional fresh cut veggies and herbs to the crockpot, it will help to increase the broth’s flavor profile. Here’s a link explaining how to do a perpetual broth in your crockpot: http://nourishedkitchen.com/perpetual-soup-the-easiest-bone-broth-youll-make/
Lots of blessings, Kelly
Bewildered? Does this recipe really ONLY yield 12 cups of stock?
Thank you.
Hi, Krista. You can cook it for less time so less evaporation occurs or start with more than 16 cups of water and get a higher yield. I prefer a richer stock and so it cooks down quite a bit. You can also use the perpetual stock method that Jenny at Nourished Kitchen uses, but again the more water you add, and continue adding, the less rich the flavor of the stock. Healthy benefits remain. Here’s the link incase you’d like to try her version:
http://nourishedkitchen.com/perpetual-soup-the-easiest-bone-broth-youll-make/
Blessings, Kelly
Thank you.
That makes sense–as we are going for the health benefits. First time we will ever do this. Getting ready–stock pot is on the stove. I appreciate your response.
One thing you can do to get more stock out of this, is to add an additional quart of water after you remove the chicken from the bones and add the bones back to the stock. Turn the heat down and cover the stock at just a gentle simmer. That way you won’t lose so much water in evaporation and you’ll yield more stock. Hopefully I’m making sense. Blessings, Kelly
Kelly,
I did it!! Yeah! I am not sure what I did, but ended up with 16 cups. It is so cute!
It wasn’t too hard. It took me 6 hours including clean up. I cannot wait to make Chicken Wild Rice Soup! I am also trying the crock pot perpetual stock with the solids. Thank you for that suggestion. So glad to have found your recipe. Thank you for guiding me along.
woo hoo! so glad it worked in giving you a higher yield! ENJOY! my pleasure to help!
Blessings, Kelly
I put a picture on your facebook. I think. . .
Hi, Krista. I didn’t see a photo on my FB page. But you could try messaging it to me, if you’d like. Or post it on your FB wall and write a note on your wall with the photo using @TheNourishingHome and it should allow me to see it. Thanks again for your kind notes! So glad you’re enjoying some healthy homemade bone broth!
Blessings, Kelly