How to Make Chicken Stock

Step 1

Prepare the vegetables - peel and halve the onion, peel the garlic and ginger, and roughly chop the carrot and celery.For more flavor, roast raw chicken bones first. Drizzle them with oil and bake them in the oven at 400ºF/200ºC for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.

Step 2

In a heavy-bottomed large stock pot, add all the ingredients and pour in enough cold water until the bones are only just covered.

Step 3

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, using a spoon to skim off any foam that forms at the top of the liquid (this can happen for the first hour). This is important to remove impurities and avoid a cloudy stock.

Step 4

Simmer the chicken stock, covered, for a minimum of 3 hours.Or simmer for up to 24 hours, so the collagen and bone marrow have time to release. Make sure to remove the veg and herbs after the first three, so they don't cause bitterness. The stock is ready when it's a golden-amber color and full of flavor. For bone broth, check to see if you can easily snap a bone in half.

Step 5

Finally, ladle the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, add salt (if using), and allow it to cool slightly. Placing the bowl in an ice bath will help speed up the cooling and prevent bacteria growth. Then decant into jars/containers to store.To remove excess grease, let it sit in the fridge overnight. A layer of fat will form on top that you can discard or use as cooking fat. However, I usually leave it as it helps keep bacteria out.

Step 6

Add all the ingredients and cook on LOW or between 14-16 hours (up to 24 hours). Then strain it. Remove the vegetables/herbs after 8 hours.

Step 7

Add all the ingredients (making sure to only fill to the 2/3 full MAX line in the pot), select the Soup/Broth setting, and set the time for 45 minutes for a simple stock or 2 hours (120 minutes) for a gelatinous bone broth. Then allow it to natural pressure release, then strain.

Step 8

Fridge: Store the jars of homemade chicken stock in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.Bone broth will gelatinize slightly in the fridge due to the collagen content. However, it will return to a liquid state when reheated.Freezer: Pour the stock into several freezer-safe jars or XL ice cube trays, leaving at least 1-inch headspace (for expansion as it freezes). Then store in the freezer for 3-4 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.Reheat: Either on the stovetop, in the microwave, or by adding it directly to a dish (like soup, stew, etc.).