So we all buy those nice convenient little roasted chickens at the grocery store, right? They are a great shortcut for those recipes that call for cooked chicken. Well, why not make your chicken go twice as far by using the carcass to make some chicken stock? Here is a great, basic recipe. I used the recipe from my kitchen bible, The Joy of Cooking, and adapted it for the crock pot to make things extra-easy!
Basic Chicken Stock
adapted from The Joy of Cooking
1 chicken carcass
4 quarts of water
10 pepper corns
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
3 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
Place the chicken carcass in your crock pot. Pour the water over it and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours; on high 3-5 hours. I left this batch on low overnight.
Strain well. Refrigerate or freeze in mason jars or ziplock bags until you are ready to use your stock!
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14 comments:
the stock looks yum....but "carcass" is an icky word!
I hear ya, Hayley, but at least it's better than what the Joy of Cooking calls this ingredient: "neck, gizzards, and feet!" Blech! Hahahaha
I can't throw away a carcass without boiling it first! :)
Wow, your photos are amazing!! Such good quality. Did you use PICKTA (or whatever that website is called)??
I want to try this chicken stock next time I buy a chicken. How long does the stock last?
Yep, I used Picnik.com - thanks for the rec Joelen!!!
In the fridge, this will last 5-7 days. In the freezer, 4-6 months!
Love the first picture; it looks so quaint and southern with the picket fence in the background! And I never thought to use my crockpot for stock, but it's a great idea.
I make my own stock too, almost the same way. I like to freeze mine in cupcake pans and/or small tupperware in either 1/4 or 1/2 cup increments and then put them into freezer bags. The process takes a couple of days, but then I already have it premeasured in the freezer, ready to go for any recipe!
(My stock doesn't come out as beautifully golden as yours, though...)
I always save and freeze my chicken carcasses to make stock. I do the same with beef bones and shrimp shells. I've never added cloves though. I'll definitely add them to my next batch. I've also never thought of making stock in a crockpot. You have just made my life a whole lot easier :)
The stock is a beautiful color -- perfect! Always having a few jars or bags of home made stock in the freezer is culinary security. There's no need to used boxed or canned if you plan ahead just a bit.
It's the best homemade, isn't it? Makes you wonder what you were thinking ever buying it in a can!
Gorgeous picture! Homemade really is the best!
Ellie, This looks so rich and delicious! The difference between homemade and canned can't be compared!
BTW, your family's chocolate cinnamon bundt is making the rounds! I saw it on another blog today! I love your family for giving the world such a wonderful recipe!!! Thank you!!! (and I'm making it again next week!) :)
This is my first time here, and gotta say, great stuff!
I've got chicken and beef bones in the freezer so I can make my 1st stock, someday. This looks like such an easy recipe! Thanks!
I made this stock and wrote about it here: http://tomatoesforapples.blogspot.com/2009/09/soup-from-scratch.html
I can't believe how easy this was to make. I wish I'd seen it sooner. Thanks for the recipe!
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