In this Slow Cooker Chicken Stock, bones simmer low and slow with carrot, onion and celery for hours yielding a deep rich stock. Great to have on hand, freezes beautifully and delicous in your favorite soup, stew or sauce recipe!
When ever I cook a whole chicken, I save the bones. You’d be crazy not to because making homemade stock is so simple. Especially when you make it in your slow cooker.
If you can’t fit making homemade chicken stock into your schedule right then, collect and save bone in a freezer safe container, store them in your freezer and make it on another day. Your soups and sauces will thank you.
What Is The Difference Between Chicken Stock And Chicken Broth?
Stock is what you get after a chicken carcass has simmered in water for hours for the collagen to be released from the bones. Stock usually is unsalted, dark in color and cloudy and has a fuller “mouth feel” thanks to the collagen, as mentioned.
Broth typically is what you get when chicken (meat), simmers in water with herbs and vegetables. Chicken broth is lighter in color and more clear, and has a lighter flavor.
To Make This Slow Cooker Chicken Stock You Will Need:
- chicken bones
- onions
- carrots
- celery
- parsley
- thyme
- bay leaves
- black peppercorns
- cider vinegar
- filtered water
- cheesecloth
Trim the ends off of 2 yellow onions, cut in half and place into your slow cooker. Wash and coarsely chop the carrots and celery and add them in as well. Lastly, snap any bones that you physically can snap and add those into the slow cooker as well. This will help the collagen to be released more easily during cooking.
Next, add in 8 sprigs fresh parsley, 4 sprigs fresh time and 2 bay leaves.
Sprinkle in about 2 teaspoons black peppercorns.
Pour 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 12 cups filtered water. I’ve done some research and have read that adding vinegar will help draw out the nutrients in the bones – so I always add it.
Cover and cook on low heat for 12 hours.
Using a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and discard the carcass using tongs. Set a mesh strainer into a large measuring cup (I needed two 8-cup measuring cups) and line with cheesecloth. Carefully pour the stock into the cheesecloth lined strainer. Once filled, move the strainer to the other measuring cup or bowl to pour the remaining homemade chicken stock through. Allow the stock to cool completely before storing.
For Freezing:
Pour the cooled stock into 2-cup freezer safe containers and store in the back of your freezer for up to 12 months. To thaw, run lukewarm water over the container until thawed or defrost slowly in your microwave.
Use in your favorite soup, sauce or
For more homemade stocks and broths Click Here!
Enjoy! And if you give this Slow Cooker Chicken Stock recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- bones from 1 to 2 chicken carcasses
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 to 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 medium yellow onions, ends trimmed, discarded and onions cut in half
- 8 sprigs parsley
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 12 cups filtered water
Instructions
- Snap any bones you physcially can and add them to your slow cooker along with chopped carrots, celery and onion halves.
- Add in the parsley, thyme, bay and peppercorns.
- Pour in the cider vinegar and water. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and discard the carcass using tongs. Set a mesh strainer into a large measuring cup (I needed two 8-cup measuring cups) and line with cheesecloth.
- Carefully pour the broth into the cheesecloth lined strainer. Once filled, move the strainer to the other measuring cup to pour the remaining homemade turkey stock through.
- Allow the stock to cool completely before storing.
Notes
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Love your site — I am a total believer in cooking from scratch! It is a nutritional and love kind of thing, right? Right! But it wasn’t until I read your post about buttermilk cauliflower mashed potatoes that I realized you are in Michigan. I am in the “Corn Flake Capital” of Michigan, and the fall rain this past weekend literally begged me to pull my stock of frozen chicken bones out of the freezer and make — well chicken stock, of course!
When people read to add apple cider vinegar to their stock ingredients, they are going to think “no way — must be a Michigan thing!” But people, you won’t taste it! Second and more importantly, the nutrient you want to pull from bones is calcium, and vinegar is the key to capturing this. Within a few hours of cooking those bones, you can literally crush them with ease; with the marrow exposed, a little longer cook time yields an even more nutrient-dense stock!
I could almost smell this cooking from just reading it! Yummy! I’ve yet to make it but definitely will. I would also like to make this for my dog to add to her food. I know not to use onions, peppercorns and the vinegar. Anyone have a suggestion on the remaining ingredients if they’re okay to use for her? Thank you!