A good chicken stock is essential for nutritious, tasty cooking. The stuff you find in a can or box at the grocery store doesn’t hold a candle to homemade stock in terms of taste and nutritional benefits. The “miracle” of this stock is in how it supports health. It’s wonderful for keeping joints healthy–contains more chondroitin than you’ll ever find in supplements! It’s a staple in healing leaky gut syndrome, and also wonderful as a simple meal when you have a cold or flu as it supports a healthy immune system.
Ingredients
- 1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 lbs. of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
- gizzards from one chicken (optional)
- 2-4 chicken feet (optional--these are fabulous for making a stock gel well)
- 4 quarts cold, filtered water
- 2 tbsps vinegar
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 1 bunch parsley
- *Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.
Instructions
- If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces. Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot or a crock pot with water, vinegar and all the vegetables except parsley.
- Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. For stovetop preparation, bring to a boil, and remove the scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. For crock pot preparation, turn on low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. I prefer the crockpot method because it’s more efficient. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be.
- Another option is to use a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours, then on low for 8 hours. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.
- Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer. I like to save quart-sized glass jars and freeze individual portions for convenience in thawing.
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