HOMESTEAD LIFE: CHICKEN STOCK
I shared in a previous post about how I use Rotisserie Chicken each month in my home. In that post I talked a little about how I use the bones of the rotisserie chicken to make chicken stock, but I’m going to break that down more here.
People ask all the time what the difference in broth and stock are.
The biggest difference is how they are made. Broth is made from meat and vegetables and doesn’t cook as long as stock. Stock is made from bones and can cook as long as 48 hours. Broth typically is thinner and lighter in color, whereas stock is going to have a darker color and be thicker due to the gelatin that is released from the bones.
So how do you make stock? If you’ve never made chicken stock it is EASY EASY EASY. After you make it once, you will never go back to store bought.
Put your chicken carcass and vegetable scraps (I save all my celery, bell pepper and onion scraps in a freezer bag in the freezer until I'm ready to make broth) in a crock pot. You can see in the picture above that I save all of the scraps - skin, tops, seeds, everything!
Fill with water till covered, then throw in a splash of apple cider vinegar and pinch of salt. The apple cider vinegar helps pull out the minerals in the bones, which will leave you with a richer broth.
Let it simmer for 8-12 hours on low. The longer you simmer, the richer your stock will be.
When it's done, scoop out all the bits and pieces and then I run the broth through a mesh sieve to make sure to get any little tidbits that I wasn't able to scoop out!
Now that you’ve got this amazing chicken stock you can use it immediately to make a soup or you can store it by either freezing it or pressure canning it. If you choose to freeze it, pour the broth into gallon size freezer bags, as you seal it make sure all of the air is out and then lay it flat to freeze. I’ll be doing a follow up post on how to pressure can chicken broth for long term storage and use.
If you want to pressure can the stock you’ve made in order to preserve it longer, you will follow these instructions. Chicken stock is a low acid food, therefore it has to be pressure canned.
Prepare jars and lids by sterilizing in boiling water.
Place canning rack on the bottom of the canner. In your pressure canner, add 3 quarts water and bring to a slow simmer.
Fill sterilized jar to 1 inch head space. Use a bubble remover tool to go around the edges and make sure there are no bubbles in the bottom. Wipe rims. Secure lids and rings to fingertip tight.
Lower jars into water using a jar lifter.
Secure the lid on top and increase heat so that the water comes to a vigorous boil. Once your pressure canner starts releasing a steady stream of steam, set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, place your pressure regulator (weight) on the vent pipe.
Once it has reached 11 pounds pressure, process for 20 minutes/pints OR 25 minutes/quarts. Be sure to adjust the amount of pressure for your elevation.
When the time is completed, turn off the heat and let it vent pressure naturally. Once pressure has reached zero, remove the pressure regulator and open the lid.
Remove jars using the jar lifter. Place jars on a towel or cooling rack, 1 inch apart. Allow jars to cool naturally (and undisturbed) for 12 to 24 hours before checking for a seal.
Why do you can food?
I’m a modern homesteader. I have a small garden in the spring and summer that we eat fresh vegetables from. However when I’m thinking about creating a food reserve, I’m thinking about it in a very practical way for my family.
I only preserve items that my family consumes on a regular basis. We pull from our canning reserve regularly. We also replenish it regularly. Therefore I am always looking for sales on the things we eat on a regular basis or that I can use to make ready-to-go meals like chili, soups, meat bases (spaghetti meat, taco meat, etc.) and staple items that I use regularly in the kitchen.
Why do you can staple items like flour, milk and butter?
As grocery store prices continue to rise and grocery shortages continue to be a very real issue, I like the peace of mind knowing that my family is taken care of and that if I want to bake a cake or make bread, I’m able to do so.
Are you a prepper and building up a food reserve?
I like to refer to myself as a modern homesteader and when thinking about taking care of my family often revert back to the ways of the woman in Proverbs 31. My family very much enjoys the modern amenities that we have, I still place a Walmart grocery order every week and we don’t have a bunker (much to my husband’s dismay), BUT I do believe that it is wise to prepare for the unexpected. That includes job loss, financial setbacks, grocery shortages, inflation, etc.
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