Put that chicken carcass to good use and make homemade chicken stock! You just need a little time, chicken bones, carrots, celery, and onion. Before you know it, that golden elixir is ready for soups, stews, or pan sauces. Learning how to make chicken stock is easier than you think!.
When my life was less busy and slightly quieter, I would make chicken stock while my children napped and I wrote my book or developed recipes for magazines and websites. This was less a desire and more a need to be resourceful and pinch pennies while eating well. Since then, making homemade chicken stock to use in soup recipes has become a regular part of my life, like breathing or dropping my kids off at school. Most chicken stock is made from bones and random scraps of vegetables and this recipe follows suit. It can be cooked on the stove in a stock pot or in a slow cooker (more on that here).
I like to add celery, onion, and carrots to mine, along with a few herbs and spices! But truthfully, there are no rules when it comes to what one can add to a pot of chicken bones. To make it sweeter and more caramelized, add roasted garlic. To give it a little bite, add ginger. To give it a hint of anise, add fennel. Like homemade Vegetable Broth, making homemade chicken stock is an easy way to save money, use up what you have on hand and create something healthy and delicious while you’re at it. Italian Wedding Soup, Ratatouille, White Bean and Kale Soup, Pastina, and Avgolemono are just a few of the soups you can make with it. If you’re sick, drink a cup of warm stock. You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray and use it in pan sauces, like this Skillet Onion Chicken recipe.
Boiling chicken bones to make homemade stock is an easy, budget-friendly way to get the most out of your chicken. The simmering time releases gelatin collagen, nutrients and flavor from the bones into the water transforming it into a rich, golden chicken broth. But exactly how long does it take to boil a chicken carcass to extract all that goodness?
Overview of Chicken Stock
Chicken stock is made by simmering chicken bones meat scraps vegetables and herbs in water for an extended period of time. This allows the water to extract gelatin, collagen, vitamins and minerals from the bones, as well as absorb flavor from the vegetables and herbs.
After all this time, you’ll have a rich, healthy chicken broth that you can use as the base for soups, stews, gravies, risotto, and other dishes. It’s more cost effective and flavorsome than store-bought broths.
How Long to Boil Chicken Bones for Stock
To make a good homemade stock, chicken bones need to be simmered for two to four hours to get all the gelatin, nutrients, and flavor out of them. Many recipes call for simmering for at least 3 hours.
Here are some general guidelines for boil times
- 2 hours will extract a decent amount of gelatin and flavor
- 3 hours is ideal for a rich, flavorful homemade stock
- 4 hours results in a very concentrated, gelatinous stock
Stocks that have been simmered for more than 4 hours are not necessary and can turn out greasy and bitter.
The boiling time can vary slightly based on the specific bones used:
- A whole chicken carcass may need closer to 4 hours
- Bones with more cartilage and connective tissue like chicken feet, necks or wings can be done in 2-3 hours
- Meatless bones may only need 2 hours
Tips for the Best Homemade Chicken Stock
Follow these tips to end up with the most flavorful, nutritious chicken stock:
- Start with cold water – hot water prevents flavors and nutrients from being extracted
- Keep at a gentle simmer – boiling causes emulsification which results in a cloudy, greasy broth
- Skim foam that rises to the top while simmering – this keeps the stock clear
- Add vegetables like onion, carrots, celery for flavor and nutrients
- Don’t add salt while cooking – salt is added later to prevent over-salting as the stock reduces
- Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer before use
- Cool and refrigerate – the fat will rise and solidify, allowing for easy removal
The process of making your own chicken stock at home is easy, cheap, and tastes better than buying it in a store. For the best results, make sure to cook the chicken bones for two to four hours. If you follow the right steps, you can make tasty stock at home that you can use in any recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I boil a chicken carcass for too long?
Yes, it is possible to boil chicken bones for too long. Generally, simmering for longer than 4 hours is not recommended as it can make the stock greasy and bitter tasting. The collagen starts to break down too much past the 3-4 hour mark.
Should I simmer or boil chicken bones for stock?
For the clearest, best tasting stock, bones should be simmered, not boiled. A gentle simmer extracts gelatin and nutrients without emulsifying the fat and proteins. Boiling can make the stock cloudy and greasy. Keep the heat low enough that the water barely bubbles.
Is it better to roast the bones before making stock?
Roasting bones before simmering them enriches the flavor of the resulting stock. The dry heat caramelizes the exterior of the bones, adding deeper, roasted flavors. Roasted chicken carcasses make an especially flavorful stock.
Can I use a slow cooker to make chicken stock?
Yes, a slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours makes an excellent chicken stock. The low gentle heat slowly extracts flavors and gelatin without boiling. Just be sure to use less water since a slow cooker doesn’t evaporate liquid.
How can I tell when the chicken stock is done?
Check the color and taste the stock. When done, it will be a rich golden brown and have a full, meaty chicken flavor. The vegetables will also be completely softened. If the stock tastes weak, simmer it for another hour until the flavor develops.
Making homemade chicken stock is easy and rewarding. With the right amount of simmering time, usually 2-4 hours, you can extract maximum nutrients, gelatin and flavor from chicken bones for a tasty, nourishing broth.
How to Make Chicken Stock
Learning how to make chicken stock is easy. To make homemade chicken stock, place chicken bones, vegetables, herbs and spices into a large pot. Cover with cold water then simmer for about 3 hours. Let it cool, then skim the fat. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Take the meat off the chicken body: This is not delicate work. To get the meat off the bones, you have to be ready to get your hands dirty. Don’t forget to turn the bird over and get the meat from the bottom. There is plenty there. Put the meat in a container and put it in the fridge. You can put it on top of a bed of greens, in soup, or with chicken salad. Now to address the bones.
- Put the chicken carcass, bones, skin, and any other bits and pieces into a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, parsley stems, and peppercorns if you’re using them.
- Pour 10 cups of cold water over the ingredients in the stockpot and raise the heat to medium. Wait until you see a low boil, then lower the heat to medium-low (or whatever level you need to keep the stove at for a gentle simmer). You should only let the stock simmer; you should never let it boil. Boiling can separate the fats and proteins, making the stock dark and greasy. Cover with a lid.
- Skim the stock and let it cook for three hours on medium-low heat. About every 45 minutes, check on it and use a spoon to skim off any foam that forms on top. This is not an exact science. It’s fine if you lose track of time and let it steep for 4 hours. You might need to add water because the stock will be stronger. Not enough time? If you only have two hours, you’ll only have a lighter stock. That’s Ok too. There is no room for perfectionists in stock making! .
- Strain the stock: Layer a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth. Place it over a big bowl and pour the stock into the strainer that has been lined. Press on the solids to release any additional liquid. Based on how much it has reduced, you should have 5 to 6 cups of stock when it’s done.
- You can use, store, or freeze this golden elixir made from bones and scraps. Add it to your next soup or freeze it for that rainy day. Put the stock in small containers to help it cool down faster. Let it cool down all the way, then cover it and put it in the fridge. A layer of fat will form on top of stock after it has been in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Go ahead and remove that fat layer. The stock will be gelatinous and wobbly when cold. that’s a good thing. You have five days to use it or freeze it for up to six months.
What is the Difference Between Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth?
Chicken stock is made from bones and chicken broth is made from meat. We love clever marketing campaigns that use words that sound like each other, like “Bone Broth” (because we love alliteration), but if it’s made from bones, it’s actually stock.
If you read chefy books or manuals you will also see a reference to salt or no salt being a defining factor in stock vs. broth. This is because technically one is used for soup, and the other is meant to be reduced for pan sauces, but really most home cooks don’t care. I skip the salt when making stock or broth and just salt the recipe I’m using it in.