Chicken Stock
From Nourishing Traditions and the Family Foundations magazine
2-3 lbs bony chicken parts, and/or bones from a chicken you’ve already eaten
optional – feet from chicken (supply large amounts of gelatin)
4 qts cold water
a few Tbs vinegar
1 lg onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled (optional) and chopped in 3-inch chunks
3 ribs celery, chopped into chunks, leaves too
optional: garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 bunch parsley
Place bones and meat in large stainless steel pot with water and vinegar. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hr. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 4-24 hours. The longer you cook it, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 30-60 minutes before finishing, add vegetables. If you’re afraid you’ll forget this step, add them at the start, but mineral content will increase if the vegetables aren’t added until the end. About 10 minutes before finishing, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth. Remove chicken pieces, let cool and remove meat from bones. Strain stock into large pan or glass bowl and cool in fridge until fat rises to top and congeals. Skim off this fat, or not, depending on where you stand on fat…more on this later…and reserve stock in fridge or freezer.
Note: many chickens raised in cages do not produce the gelatin and the broth will not congeal after cooking. Test for liberal amounts of gelatin if stock thicken or even jells after cooling.
If you’d like more information and pictures, please see this post.
*This long, slow cooking in slightly acidic water draws calcium, magnesium and potassium from the bones, cartilage, marrow and veggies while supplying gelatin – a hydrophilic (water-loving) colloid that aids in digestion – to the cooked foods. When you add stock to cooked foods that don’t normally contain colloids (as raw foods do), you aid in their digestion.
*Your body assimilates minerals from properly prepared stocks, so this helps menopausal women ward off osteoporosis and ensure digestion (among other benefits!).
*Use in preparing sauces, gravies, and soups as well as in cooking rice.
Vinegar: *** 2 tablespoons per 1 quart water or 2 pounds bones
Hi there – Great site. Thank you for it. I am going to try making my own broth/stock.
Can yout tell me if the nutritional value is the same if Iuse uncooked chicken bones or bones which have been baked in the oven with the chicken?
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I’ m about to try making stock for the first time. I’ve got the chicken, just need the recipe now! I’ve read a few other places to remove the meat after 1/2 hour because it will become rubbery. Do you leave the chicken whole and leave the whole chicken in (hmmm that sounds funny…)for the full 4-24 hour simmer?
Thanks!
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Katie Reply:
August 12th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Meggan, I do leave the whole chicken in the whole time. I have heard others say not to as well, but since I’m just shredding the chicken for recipes (casseroles, soups and such), it’s never been a problem. I will admit that this chicken isn’t quite as good as roasted, shredded chicken for things like wraps though.
Lately, because I want more broth than shredded chicken, I’ve been “harvesting” the breast meat by snipping it out and using it to make chicken kebobs for the grill or chicken stir fry. I also like roasting the chicken first and then just using the bones to make the stock (or two chickens at once, one the first way and one the second). This is definitely not rocket science. If this is your first time, I would just go simple – dump the chicken in and forget it. Do add the veggies at the end (the last 30-60 minutes). I like it better that way and feel like I can use the carrots for soup on the same night. Best of luck! Let me know if it works out as expected!
Katie
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Twitter: dcrmom
// Aug 27, 2009 at 6:41 am
I’m so excited. I can buy chicken feet at the farm where I get chickens and eggs. I’m going to try that!
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I’m going to try making my own broth this week after roasting one of the chickens hanging out in my freezer, but I have a question that I haven’t seen answered on your site. Does “chicken parts” include throwing in the neck and other parts of the whole chicken you get from the store? I’ve always only ever thrown that stuff away, but maybe it will be good in here? I have no idea!
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Katie Reply:
October 5th, 2009 at 6:55 am
You betcha! Definitely the neck, and you can weigh the pros and cons of the organs based on where you got your chicken (cons of grocery store chicken = possibility of toxins in organs, pros of pastured chicken = really good nutrients in organs that should go into your broth). That being said, I have always just throw it all in… Enjoy!
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Dawn Norman Reply:
October 15th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I finally made my stock today and I’m so disappointed that I don’t like the flavor. Something tastes “off” and I don’t know why. I only had 1 1/2 lbs of bones, so I added 4 qts cold water and 8 T vinegar for a 30 min. soak. I was confused because it said 2 T per qt or 2 lbs bones and that just didn’t add up. I’m wondering if I did too much vinegar and it’s just off. I’m thinking I’ll just throw the whole batch away and try again…maybe without the vinegar?? AGH!
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Katie Reply:
October 16th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Dawn,
That does seem like a lot of vinegar – a half cup. I just put a “glug” in the pot when I make stock with a whole chicken. I wonder if you boiled it a bit more, would the vinegar taste go away? Or just add some canned chicken broth plus water so you don’t have to waste it! I changed the recipe to reduce the amt of vinegar. So sorry this didn’t work well for you!
Also did you add salt, seasonings? Let me know if you figure out how to save the broth — Katie
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Dawn Norman Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 12:01 am
It’s horrible to admit, but I just dumped it and figured I’d try again. I feel like I have so much to learn yet and sometimes overwhelmed with all of it and just trying to do my best for my family, but then I remember to look back and see how far I’ve come already these past few months and I’m encouraged to keep going. I will master this and make our own broth and we’ll all be the better for it. Just not for this batch! Thanks for helping me so much with all the posts and the replies and answers. It’s a great thing you’re doing. You’re a Titus 2 woman for me. Thank you!
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Katie Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 1:10 am
Good for you, Dawn! Baby steps are where it’s at, and at least the broth hardly costs anything since the bones are *practically* garbage anyway. Best of luck next time!!
Thanks, Katie
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It never occurred to me to save the neckbone when I buy a Thanksgiving turkey. Duh. I save all of the other bones, so I don’t know why I never thought to save that one!
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May be a weird question but with deer season here (only my 2nd) ever tried making stock with deer? Our first we just had the meat processed in different forms but I would like to use more such as bones. I know deer don’t have much fat but maybe that too?
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Katie Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I haven’t done it, but only b/c my brother didn’t give me the bones last year like I asked!
Nourishing Traditions has a recipe that list deer as a choice – I think it’s the beef stock recipe. I’m hoping to try it sometime — and use the hooves, too, for SUPer gelatin!
Katie
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By the way I am making chicken stock today!!
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So the kids let me do a little internet work. Indeed you can use deer to make stock and can render the fat. Saw a recommendation to put pot in oven at 180 for stock cooking so am trying that way since I need to go to the grocery store so I don’t have to worry about it. I am using a stock pot with strainer so all I have to do is lift out the stuff.
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I am about to attempt my first batch of stock with your recipe. I am a little nervous about leaving my gas stove on all night while we are sleeping. What if something catches on fire??? Have you ever made the stock in a crock pot? If so, would I use low or high heat setting?
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Katie Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Maria,
I understand the nerves, although I was never worried about it… I don’t know why! a LOT of folks make stock in their slow cookers. Low should be sufficient with the all day cooking. You’ll love it!
Katie
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Hi Katie,
I’m on my first pot of stock today and the water level has evaporated considerably. Do you ever add additional water during cooking? Thank you in advance
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Katie Reply:
January 16th, 2010 at 1:19 am
Aprille,
I never have, but I might if the chicken was in danger of burning/browning too much because it’s sticking out. I just started a big pot myself! You’ll just get a more condensed broth.
Katie
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Patty,
Yay! I’m sure you’ll love it! In all my research, I’ve never seen any warnings about not using roasted bones, and I can only imagine that some of my sources would have commented on that if the nutrition would be reduced. The heat of the oven shouldn’t affect the calcium or mineral content any more than the long cooking on the stovetop to make the broth itself. For beef bone stock, you’re actually supposed to roast the bones first for improved flavor. That’s just my best guess! Enjoy! Katie
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