There’s really no need to buy canned chicken broth when you find out how easy it is to make it at home. It’s extremely economical using ingredients you normally discard and it’s a much healthier alternative to any store bought versions. You control the ingredients so you know exactly what’s in it. No chemical additives or preservatives that aren’t good for you. You can choose how much salt to add as well, so if it’s a dietary concern you can omit it entirely if you want.
Homemade chicken stock is the perfect base for making a big pot of homemade chicken soup or one of our all time favorite meals, this Ultimate Comfort Food; Cindy’s Old Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings. You absolutely must make this! It’s the BEST!!!
This recipe uses all the scraps you normally toss in the trash or add to your compost heap in the garden. I have a gallon sized zip lock baggie in my freezer and anytime I’m using veggies I save those scraps. Keep adding to it until you have a bag full of veggie scraps.
Carrot peels, celery tops, parsnip peels, cabbage leaves and core, the woody base from a head of broccoli, the woody ends of asparagus spears, mushroom stems, the skins and tops of onions. Save all those veggie scraps and add them to that freezer bag stored in your freezer.
Do the same thing when you bring home a rotisserie chicken from the market. Remove the skin, and all the meat and save that carcass; save all the bones and skin. Place those scraps that you would normally toss in the trash into a large ziplock baggie and store it in your freezer. You could also save the chicken carcass using a food saver bag for longer storage.
Once you have a full bag of veggie scraps you have everything you need to cook up a big pot of vegetable stock. Add a chicken carcass and the chicken skin to those veggie scraps and you can cook up a rich and flavorful chicken stock. Keep reading to find out how easy it is to do.
Did you know? The difference between a broth and a stock. When you cook the bones of a chicken carcass you end up with a stock. The bone marrow in the bones thickens the liquid and gives it more flavor and substance and contains loads of nutrition. Boiling just chicken meat, chicken skin, or veggie scraps produces a broth since there is no bone marrow in it. When chicken bones and vegetables are allowed to break down slowly in hot water, they release proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats and antioxidants that are so very good for you. This is why chicken stock’s nutrition is so much richer and good for you compared to broths.
To Make Chicken Stock:
Remove all the meat and skin from a cooked rotisserie chicken and place it in a large stockpot. Add a bag of veggie scraps to the stockpot. No need to thaw them if they are coming straight from the freezer. Add a couple cloves of garlic. Smash them with a knife and add them to the pot, peels and all. Toss in a couple bay leaves.
Fill the pot with water and bring the mixture to a boil.
Optional: Add a tablespoon of chicken bouillon to the broth and season with salt and pepper. You can certainly omit the bouillon and salt if you choose. You’re in charge so make it the way you like it best.
Cover and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 90 minutes.
Strain off the broth and discard the chicken bones, skin and veggie scraps. They have imparted all their nutrients and flavorful goodness and we no longer need them.
Allow chicken stock to come to room temperature. Use a spoon to skim off any fat or scum that floats to the surface of the broth and discard it.
If you are not cooking with the broth immediately, transfer it into a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Chicken broth can also be frozen for longer term storage.
To Make Vegetable Broth:
Place a bag of veggie scraps into a large stockpot. No need to thaw them if they are coming straight from the freezer. Add a couple cloves of garlic. Smash them with a knife and add them to the pot, peels and all. Toss in a couple bay leaves. Fill the pot with water and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 90 minutes.
Strain off the broth and discard the veggie scraps. They have imparted their vegetable goodness and we no longer need them.
Season with salt an pepper.
If you are not using the broth immediately, once broth cools to room temperature transfer it into a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Vegetable broth can be frozen for longer term storage.
Use your homemade vegetable broth and chicken stock in all your favorite recipes. Homemade stock and broth is so much more flavorful and much healthier for you than anything that comes in a can. It costs you nothing to make since you are using scraps that you would normally toss into the trash anyway. Heathy, economical and delicious…what more could you ask for?
Every home cook should know how to make a chicken stock, or vegetable broth from scratch. Now that you know how easy it is to make you can make it anytime you have veggie scraps or a chicken carcass in your freezer. It will add so much more flavor to all your recipes and it’s packed with nutrients that you can feel good about serving your family.
How To Make Homemade Vegetable Broth or Chicken Stock
Equipment
- large stock pot
- fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups assorted vegetable scraps
- 1 skin and carcass from a cooked rotisserie chicken
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon, optional
- salt and pepper, to taste
- water
Instructions
For Chicken Stock:
- Place veggie scraps, chicken skin and carcass, garlic cloves, bay leaves, and chicken bouillon in a large stock pot.
- Add enough water to cover all the ingredients.
- Cover pot and heat over high heat. Once mixture comes to a simmer, reduce heat and cook at a low simmer for 90 minutes.
- Strain stock using a mesh strainer.
- Skim off any fat and scum that come to the surface and discard.
- Season stock with chicken bouillon, salt and pepper to taste.
- Use immediately or allow stock to cool to room temperature.
- Once stock comes to room temperature, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for longer storage.
For Vegetable Broth:
- Place veggie scraps, garlic cloves, and bay leaves, in a large stock pot.
- Add enough water to cover all the ingredients.
- Cover pot and heat over high heat. Once mixture comes to a simmer, reduce heat and cook at a low simmer for 90 minutes.
- Strain broth using a mesh strainer.
- Skim off any scum that comes to the surface and discard.
- Season broth with salt and pepper to taste.
- Use immediately or allow broth to cool to room temperature.
- Once broth comes to room temperature, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for longer storage.
Did You Make This?
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