Homemade Chicken Stock

Step 1

Place chicken in a large stockpot. Add onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, garlic (optional) and cover with water, making sure water is covering the ingredients (about 12 cups).

Step 2

Cook on a low simmer, covered for 4 hours. Add more water if needed to keep chicken covered with water while cooking.

Step 3

Remove chicken from the stock and strain the broth into jars through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the vegetables.

Step 4

Store the stock in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator, or in your freezer for up to 3 months (using a freezer-safe container).

Step 5

Place the chicken into the slow cooker.

Step 6

Add in the onion, celery, carrots, salt, and peppercorn.

Step 7

Pour the water into the slow cooker until the ingredients are completely covered. Put the lid on, and cook on high for one hour.

Step 8

After cooking on high for one hour, change the setting to low to allow everything to simmer for 8-10 hours. (The longer it simmers, the more flavor you will get.)

Step 9

After it has simmered up to 10 hours, remove the bones and pour the stock through a small, fine-mesh strainer into jars.

Step 10

Put the chicken into the pot (no vegetables), add water to cover the chicken, lock the lid, and cook the chicken for about 25 minutes on high pressure.

Step 11

After the pressure releases naturally, remove the chicken (storing any that could be used later) and let the stock cool before pouring it into airtight containers.