How to make Homemade Chicken Broth
There's nothing like homemade chicken broth slowly simmered until rich and fragrant. Making chicken broth is so easy and once you've made your own you won't be able to go back to store bought! Use it in endless recipes or sip it hot on a cold day!
Servings 28 cups
Calories 42kcal
Equipment
- Large stock pot
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs. chicken carcasses about 3 carcasses
- 2 onions scrubbed clean, with skin on and halved
- 2 carrots halved
- 2 stalks celery halved
- 1 tomato very ripe
- 5-6 sprigs parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 tbsp. peppercorns
- water enough to cover all ingredients (I added 34 cups of water in this recipe)
Instructions
- Place chicken carcasses in large stock pot (I use a 15 liter pot) and top with vegetables and aromatics (parsley sprigs; bay leaves; peppercorns and parmesan rind). Fill the pot with enough water to cover the ingredients by 1 inch. In this recipe I added 34 cups of water.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover loosely and cook for 3 hours.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to scoop out the large chunks of chicken pieces and vegetables. Use the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out all the extra liquid and goodness out of the vegetables. Compost or discard them.
- Line the sieve with cheesecloth and strain the broth into two or more large bowls to cool.
- Once the broth is sufficiently cooled, transfer to freezer safe containers or freezer bags.
Notes
I don't have a large 15 liter stock pot, can I still make chicken broth?
If you have a large stock pot it is worthwhile making a large batch of broth to freeze for future use. However, you can definitely make a smaller batch with any size pot that you have. The basic rule is add your chicken pieces, vegetables; aromatics and enough water to cover all ingredients by 1 inch.
How to store chicken broth:
-Transfer the broth into containers such as mason jars; take-out style plastic 1 liter containers (as shown) or freezer bags.
-Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Why is there no salt added to this chicken broth recipe? I prefer storing my broth unsalted and then adding salt, as needed, when I use it for a recipe. However if you prefer you may add salt, to taste, to your chicken broth. More tips: If you are making your broth with raw chicken parts, after it comes to a simmer you may notice scum developing on the surface. Use a slotted spoon to skim this scum off the surface of the broth. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
-Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Why is there no salt added to this chicken broth recipe? I prefer storing my broth unsalted and then adding salt, as needed, when I use it for a recipe. However if you prefer you may add salt, to taste, to your chicken broth. More tips: If you are making your broth with raw chicken parts, after it comes to a simmer you may notice scum developing on the surface. Use a slotted spoon to skim this scum off the surface of the broth. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Nutrition
Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 796IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg