I don’t fuss over chicken broth. It’s a staple in my cooking, particularly in soups and sauces, so I make it often. There are zillions of published recipes for chicken broth. Most involve cutting up vegetables and maybe adding a bagged bouquet garni. I’ve tried making chicken broth using some of these recipes, but I’m not convinced the results justify the effort. If you’re making chicken soup, that’s a different story, but for plain old chicken broth made out of chicken carcasses, my method, which requires almost no effort, produces fine chicken broth in three hours.
I roast a chicken about once a week, particularly during the cold months, when a roast chicken is easy and satisfying. After the bones have been picked clean, I save the carcass with herbs, bay leaf and any vegetables clinging to it, in a plastic bag in my freezer. When I’ve saved up four or five carcasses, I put them in a large stock pot, cover them with filtered water, bring the water and carcasses to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, and leave it on the stove for about three hours. You can cook it longer if you’d like, but I find three hours is enough.
If you accidentally boil the broth for too long, it will turn cloudy, but it will taste fine. Keep it at a slow simmer if you want it to remain clear. I don’t add any seasonings, including salt, to the chicken broth. The herbs and salt left on the carcasses will season the broth a little. I generally don’t want my chicken broth salted, as I add salt to dishes while I’m cooking.
After the broth has cooled, I strain it through a sieve, feed any stray bits of meat to my dog, discard the bones, and freeze the broth in clean applesauce jars.
If you can boil water, you can make chicken broth. Add a few chicken carcasses, and you'll have broth in three hours. Take the chicken carcasses out of the plastic bags if they are frozen, but don't thaw them. Put the carcasses into a large stock pot. Cover the carcasses with about three inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Leave uncovered, or partly cover the pot. Simmer the broth for 2-3 hours. Use a slotted spoon to skim any frothy scum that's accumulated on the surface. Check the broth every hour. Add more water if too much has evaporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain the broth through a sieve into glass jars or bowls. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Fast, Easy Homemade Chicken Broth
Ingredients
Instructions
Making broth is as simple as can be. Bring a bunch of chicken carcasses to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for three hours.
Three hours later, the broth is done. Skim the foam with a slotted spoon, and remove the broth from the heat.
Strain the cooled broth through a sieve and pour it into glass jars. (I boiled this batch a little too long, so it’s cloudy, but it still tastes fine.) Store the broth in the refrigerator or freezer.
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