Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
All you need are chicken scraps, a few fresh veggies and herbs, and your slow cooker for a chicken stock that can be enjoyed by itself or in your favorite soup recipe.
Servings: 10
Equipment
- Slotted spoon or colander
- Fine mesh sieve
- Jars – I like 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jars but feel free to pick your favorite.
Ingredients
- chicken bones with meat neck, legs, ribs, carcass (anything works!)
- water – enough to fill the crockpot
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 4 celery ribs diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 sweet onion sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 4 garlic cloves
Instructions
- Load the crockpot. Load all of the ingredients into the crockpot. Add enough water to fill the basin and almost cover the ingredients.
- Cook. Cook on low for 12 hours.
- Strain. Use a slotted spoon or colander to remove the bones and veggies from the crockpot. Discard them. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve into jars.
Notes
Storage Instructions:
Once you’ve strained the stock into the jars, allow it to cool completely. Seal the jars and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Allow the stock to thaw in the fridge before using it.
Why does it turn to a solid when it's chilled?
The collagen from the carcass of the chicken leaches out into the stock, making it delicious and nutritious. When the stock is chilled, the collagen causes it to solidify. Don’t worry, it will turn to liquid again once heated.
Do I have to use apple cider vinegar? Will it make the broth taste like vinegar?
You don’t have to but it will help pull the nutrients and collagen out of the bones and tendons of the chicken carcass. The apple cider vinegar will not negatively impact the flavor of the stock. If anything, it will add a nice depth to it that you wouldn’t get otherwise.
What's an easy way to obtain chicken bones?
Wondering how you’re going to get all those chicken bones? Well, the best way (in my opinion) is to roast a whole chicken, enjoy the meat, and save the carcass for stock. If you don’t want to roast a whole chicken, you can buy chicken parts at the store, ask the butcher for chicken bones, and/or use the carcass of a store-bought rotisserie chicken after you’ve enjoyed the meat.
Can I make this ahead of time and freeze it?
Absolutely. Strain the stock into jars and, once it has cooled, seal the jars and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Allow the stock to thaw in the fridge before using it.
Can I can this recipe?
No. This recipe is not safe for canning for there are certain requirements that make a recipe for canning.
Nutrition
Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2116IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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