How to make Chicken Broth/Stock

Basic Chicken Broth

In my cooking classes, one question I’m repeatedly asked is how to make chicken broth. Although making broth may be basic and elementary to some, for others, this is a game changer. There are now several well developed store bought broths/stocks, but making your own brings a new depth of flavor to your food.  Preparing chicken or vegetable broth is a weekend ritual for me.  During the week, I save up scrape vegetables and bones and keep them in the freezer.  At the end of the week, still frozen, I put them in a big soup pot and make that week’s broth.  Often, I’ll freeze the cooled broth in zip lock bags to lay flat to take up less room in the freezer.  These broths are used for everything from soups to rice to pasta dishes and it does enhance the flavor noticeably.  It’s also an efficient way to recycle appropriate leftovers.

Left over chicken carcass or chicken parts (backs, necks, legs, ect.)

3 quarts water

2 carrots, peeled, chopped in chunks

2 onions, halved

2 stalks celery, halved (use the celery leaves too)

4 teaspoons chicken bouillon

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 teaspoon pepper

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, place all the above ingredients and bring to a boil.  Skim off any foam and discard.  Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 ½ hours or until the vegetables are very tender. Using a colander and large bowl, strain the liquid, cool and refrigerate so any remaining fat will surface and can be removed easily.  Discard the bones.  You can freeze the broth up to six months or use immediately in your next recipe.  Yields approximately 6 cups of broth. 

Tip:  When using chicken parts in the broth, remove the liver.  It will make the broth bitter.