DON’T THROW OUT THAT CARCASS!!
Once a week I try to cook two whole pastured (or organic) seasoned chickens (salt, pepper and my favorite dried herbs and spices) either in a roasting pan or in the crockpot. It’s simple, nourishing, and provides great chicken for a variety of lunch and dinner options. The best part is that I’m also left with the bones, some skin and a little meat for making delicious bone broth! After the chickens have been cooked and the meat has been removed I put the carcasses in the crockpot with a splash of apple cider vinegar and cover them with filtered water. I turn the crockpot on low for 12 to 24 hours and, viola – beautiful broth.
What are some of the benefits of Homemade Chicken Broth / Stock?:
• A history of nourishment for cold and flu season!
• A good source of calcium
• More nutritious than store bought
• Produces natural gelatin, which has many health promoting benefits (digestion, liver function, bone health, etc.)
• Cost effective
• Greater use of the animal (less waste, more respect)
• Very easy to do!
Homemade Chicken Broth
Author: Shannon Doleac, MS, CSCS, CF-L1
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Waste not, want not! Make use of your leftover chicken bones by cooking your own delicious and nutritious broth. Use it for sipping, soups and stews, or stir-fries.
Ingredients
- Leftover bones, meat, and skin of 1 - 2 roast chickens
- Small head of garlic
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ~ 4 quarts filtered water
- 1 cup rough chopped carrots (optional)
- 1 cup rough chopped celery (optional)
- Ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the chicken carcass(es) to the pot of a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Peel and smash the cloves of garlic. Add to the pot.
- Add salt and vinegar.
- Add filtered water so that it is covering all the bones, meat and skin and is close to the top of the slow cooker pot.
- Set your slow cooker on low for 16 to 24 hours.
- After about 10 hours, add the carrots and celery (if using) to the pot and allow to continue cooking.
- After 16 to 24 hours, turn off the slow cooker and allow contents to cool slightly. Then strain out the solids using a fine sieve over a large stock pot.
- You should be left with a beautiful golden broth!
- I use freezer safe mason jars to store some of it in the freezer and a larger jar for the fridge.
- If planning to make soup, pick off any meat from the bones and set aside to add to the broth when you are ready.
Notes
I am always so grateful to have homemade broth stored in our freezer for when someone in the family is fighting off a bug or injury. We welcome the nourishing benefits of the broth many times a day. I pull a small jar from the freezer, run it under warm/hot water for a couple minutes, add the mostly frozen chunk to a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat (stirring frequently) for a few minutes and then pour it into a mug for delicious sipping!
Bone broth may also be made in a large stock pot on the stove and gently simmered.
Bone broth may also be made in a large stock pot on the stove and gently simmered.
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This is by far my most favorite chicken stock recipe! I love using it in recipes. I also sip on this when sick or just want something warm to drink.
Thanks, Nikki!! I love it too and now have my kids asking for it when they don’t feel 100%.