I’m going to let you in on a secret. It is the secret to delicious soups, sauces, and gravies. It is chicken stock made from scratch. I know you have bought some chicken stock from the grocery store, and it may have even been an amazing brand you found at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. But I guarantee you it tastes like water compared to the stuff you can make on your own. I’ve seen the store bought stuff and it is so clear that you can see through it. Good chicken stock is substantial–and it will make your soup taste amazing. There’s not much to it, and after a few times you’ll be adding whatever vegetables suit you. It makes 4-5 quarts.
Ingredients:
- Chicken carcass with all the meat removed. (Because you want to save the shredded chicken to use in another delicious dish!) Save all the skin, bones, cartilage, connective tissue–basically anything that you aren’t going to eat.
- 4-6 whole carrots
- 3-4 stalks of celery, or all the leafy parts you cut off when you cut up celery for something else. You can save it and put it in a ziploc bag and throw it in your freezer to use for just this moment
- 1-2 onions, skins and all. Once again, you can save all the ends of the onions you cut up and throw it in the same ziploc bag as your celery trimmings
- 4-6 mushrooms, if you have some. If not, it really doesn’t matter.
- 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, or 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
- 1 Tbsp peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (it helps to break down the bones so the marrow seeps out into the stock–it sounds gross but it is delicious and nutritious)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 quarts water
Directions:
- Cut up carrots, onions, mushrooms, and celery into large chunks and throw everything into a 10 quart pressure cooker.
- Lock pressure cooker and set the pressure on high. (approximately 15 psig)
- When the pressure cooker is at pressure with steam escaping from the relief valve, lower the heat to keep pressure in the cooker.
- Set a timer for 1 hour.
- After an hour has passed, remove pressure cooker from heat and release pressure using the quick release method.
- Once pressure is released from the cooker, carefully unlock and remove the lid.
- Using a strainer inside a large bowl, empty contents into the strainer to separate the solids from the amazing stock you just made.
- Remove strainer with carcass and vegetables from the bowl with the stock.
- Using a funnel and small straining basket, pour stock through the strainer into the quart jars. Leave 1 inch of head space.
- Clean the rims of the jars, place a clean lid and screw closed.
- Place the 4 quarts on a basket or wire rack inside the pressure cooker with 4-5 inches of hot water.
- Lock pressure lid in place and set the dial to vent steam.
- Set stove temperature to high heat.
- When the canner releases steam from the vent, set a timer for 10 minutes.
- After venting for 10 minutes, set dial to high pressure.
- When high pressure is reached, set timer for 20 or 25 minutes and reduce stove temperature to maintain high pressure.
- After 20 or 25 minutes at high pressure, remove from heat and let pressure release naturally.
- After the canner has depressurized, wait at least 2 more minutes, then open the lid.
- Use a jar lifter to remove hot jars and place on a wire rack, dry towels, boards, or newspaper. (This prevents jars from breaking on contact with a cold surface.)
Leave at least one inch of space between the jars. - Do not tighten the lids. Allow the jars to cool for 12 – 24 hours.
- You can store processed chicken stock in your pantry until you are ready to use.
Use this stock for Chicken Tortilla Soup, Tuscan Vegetable Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, or any of your other favorite soups.
