Chicken broth

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword bone broth, chicken stock, freezer staple, homemade chicken broth

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5 30

Total Time 5 40

Servings 12 cups

Leftover chicken bones simmered in the slow cooker with onion, carrots, celery, garlic and a splash of vinegar for 12 cups of broth.

Ingredients

3 lbs cooked chicken bones (from 2 rotisserie chicken carcasses; a roasted turkey also works)
1 medium onion quartered (peel left on for color)
3 carrots cut into halves or thirds
3 celery stalks cut into thirds
6 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
3 dried bay leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
12 cups purified water

Directions

Add everything except the water to a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in water until it is a couple of inches below the top of the insert.
Cover and cook on high for about 5.5 hours, until golden and fragrant (it takes 2 to 3 hours just to reach a simmer).
Lift out the large solids with a slotted spoon or spider. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve or colander (lined with cheesecloth for a cleaner broth). Throw away the solids, let the broth cool, move it to jars or a pitcher, and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, lift off the hardened fat to use for cooking, or leave it in. With enough bones, the broth should be slightly jiggly.

Notes

Prep 10 minutes, cook 5 hours 30 minutes on high. Refrigerate and use within 4 to 5 days, or freeze in airtight containers with a few inches of headspace for up to 6 months. Safety: cool the broth quickly (within about 2 hours) before refrigerating.