Chicken Broth
This is my favorite recipe. It's the thing I started with, six years ago when I began our whole foods journey, because of just how nourishing and versatile it is. And I cried. Yup, I cried, because the thought of making my own chicken broth seemed so difficult and impossible.
Now, I could do it in my sleep.
In actuality, chicken broth is one of the easiest things you can make. The most time consuming part is shredded the chicken at the end, but it's certainly not hard. Chicken broth can be used in soups, in recipes or cooking (see this post for ideas), or consumed on it's own. It is incredibly nourishing, provides your body with bioavailable collagen, and it's pretty tasty, too.
I'm going to give instructions for this 3 ways; stovetop, crockpot, and Instant Pot. I like to use my Instant Pot when I need the broth same day, and I'm ok with doing a smaller batch. I use my big stock pot when I have a bit more time and want to do two chickens at once.
The best part about making broth is that it yields so much goodness for not that much money. You get the broth, pre-cooked shredded chicken (ideas for how to use in this post), and the bones, which I like to save in a freezer bag until I have enough for another round.
I think most of the ingredients are pretty straightforward, but sometimes the addition of apple cider vinegar leaves people curious. The short answer is that the acids help break down collagen and connective tissue, allowing more of that goodness to seep into the broth. It's not necessary, but it can help yield a more nourishing and gelatinous broth. I promise you can't taste it in the final product.
Chicken Broth
Ingredients-
One whole organic chicken, giblets removed
Filtered water
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
One onion
One head of garlic
Two carrots
3-5 ribs of celery, with the leaves
Redmond's Real Salt
Peppercorns
Herbs (thyme, sage, basil)
Bay leaves
Directions-
Instant Pot-
Prep your ingredients by peeling and quartering the onion and washing the vegetables. Peel the loose paper from the head of garlic and cut off the stem with a sharp knife so that the cloves are exposed.
Add the vegetables and the chicken to the Instant Pot.
Fill with filtered water so that the water entirely covers the chicken.
Add a liberal amount of salt, a few peppercorns (I usually do about 7-10), and your herbs. Pour in the apple cider vinegar.
Using the manual setting, set the Instant Pot for 4 hours.
Allow the pressure to naturally release.
Crockpot-
Prep your ingredients by peeling and quartering the onion and washing the vegetables. Peel the loose paper from the head of garlic and cut off the stem with a sharp knife so that the cloves are exposed.
Add the vegetables and the chicken to the Crockpot.
Fill with filtered water so that the water entirely covers the chicken.
Add a liberal amount of salt, a few peppercorns (I usually do about 7-10), and your herbs. Pour in the apple cider vinegar.
Set for 10-12 hours.
Stovetop-
Prep your ingredients by peeling and quartering the onion and washing the vegetables. Peel the loose paper from the head of garlic and cut off the stem with a sharp knife so that the cloves are exposed.
Add the vegetables and the chicken to the Crockpot.
Fill with filtered water so that the water entirely covers the chicken.
Place on the stove on medium-high until it begins to boil.
Using a ladle or large spoon, skim off the foam that begins to accumulate on the top of the broth.
Once most of the foam is gone, reduce heat to medium-low, whatever will maintain a low simmer.
Add a liberal amount of salt, a few peppercorns (I usually do 7-10), and your herbs. Pour in the apple cider vinegar.
Allow to simmer for 12-48 hours.
Check the broth occasionally. If the water is getting too low, you can add a bit more water or remove from the heat to jar.
How to jar (good for all cooking methods)-
Remove the broth from the heat source.
Carefully (it's hot!) remove the chicken. I like to place it in a large colander that I put in a bowl...there will be broth dripping from it and I like to make sure I collect it all! Set it to the side to cool down a bit.
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain out the large seasonings and vegetables from the broth.
Pour the broth into glass jars.
Store in the refrigerator. Broth will be good for 5-7 days.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Shred the chicken onto the baking sheet (if it's still too hot, I like to break off large pieces and lay them out to cool faster). Place in the freezer until the chicken is frozen, then put it in a Ziploc bag for storage until needed.
Optional: Collect the bones, skin, and extra bits in a bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled, put in a bag in the freezer. Add to this bag until it is full. Once it is full, you can repeat the broth instructions with the frozen bones in place of chicken. While it won't be quite as rich and strong, this is a great way to stretch your dollar and get some additional stock.
Notes-
For really gelatinous broth, add some chicken feet. I've been able to source these at Whole Foods and Sprouts, if you have access to those stores (right now, I do not, sadly). I like to add 3-5 per batch. They look nasty but always yield a very collagen-rich broth!
If you want to do a second round, you can collect the bones, skin, and extra bits in a bowl and allow to cool, after you have separated out the chicken meat. Once cooled, put in a bag in the freezer. Add to this bag until it is full. Once it is full, you can repeat the broth instructions with the frozen bones in place of chicken. While it won't be quite as rich and strong, this is a great way to stretch your dollar and get some additional stock.
If you won't use all the stock within a few day, it can very easily be frozen. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE ROOM AT THE TOP OF THE JAR IF YOU ARE FREEZING. As the broth freezes, it will expand, and if there isn't space for this, it will crack the jar. Elementary school stuff, I know, but I've made the mistake of forgetting this detail and had many a jar of broth break in the freezer. More disappointing than the loss of the jar is the loss of the broth!
An economical way to build up a collection of glass jars is to wash and reuse jars from applesauce, pickles, sauces, and the like. Ask your friends, family, or neighbors to save the jars they use up for you. You may be surprised how quickly you can fill a shelf with perfectly serviceable, "thrifted" jars. All of my broth is bottled in old Bertolli spaghetti sauce jars a friend gave me. Doesn't have to be fancy to work!
Add the giblets (if your chicken comes with them) to the pot as the broth cooks. Remove them and freeze them individually. When they are frozen, place them in a bag for storage. Grate them into beef dishes (meatballs, meatloaf, taco meat) or even on top of casseroles or side dishes. If it's just a bit, you won't taste it at all. This is a great way to get in those super good for you minerals and nutrients that organ meats contain! If you just can't stomach that at all, grate them into your dog's food bowl. Pretty sure they won't mind.