Boiling A Chicken Carcass Or, Homemade Chicken Broth
1 well picked chicken carcass or a collection of leftover chicken
bones, skin, backs, necks, gizzards or a leftover turkey carcass
Water
Salt, Broth Powder or Bouillon Cubes, optional
Lots of Water
A Big Pot
Arrange the bones and any other chicken debris in a large pot.
Add water to cover. Boil for 1 hour if the bones are from a
cooked chicken. Boil for 2 hours if the bones are from a raw chicken.
Place a large mixing bowl in your sink. Arrange your colander
inside the bowl. Pour the hot broth and bones into the
colander The broth will run through the holes while the bones
and debris will lodge in the colander Lift the colander from
the bowl and allow the juices to drip out. Place the colander
on a plate.
Pour the broth (now bone-free) back into the pot. Put the pot
back on the stove. Boil the stock down until it is about
1-quart or 4 cups. This is called reducing the stock. A little
more or less than a quart really doesn't matter that much. The
reducing will go fastest if you boil the stock at high or medium-high
heat. The kitchen will get humid so you may want to open up a
window or turn on a fan.
While the stock is reducing you need to look over the bones and
debris. Pick out all of the usable pieces of meat.
Depending on how well the chicken was picked over at dinner there may
be more meat than you expected. Place all the little pieces of
meat into a plastic bag or small bowl. Cover and chill until
needed. It is excellent in soups.
When the stock has reduced to your preference remove it from the
heat. Add salt or bouillon cubes to taste. Usually 1/2
teaspoon of salt or 2 bouillon cubes will be plenty. You don't
want to get it too salty. You don't even have to salt it
if you don't want to. Some people prefer it salted, but some don't.
Allow the stock to cool slightly and pour it into a wide-mouthed
canning jar or any other container with a large opening. Chill overnight.
In the morning you will see a nice cake of fat sitting on the top of
the broth. Carefully remove the fat. It can be saved and
used in frying and cooking. Chicken fat is high in omega-6 linoleic
fatty acids.
Another option is to freeze the broth in 1/2-cup or 1-cup
portions. It can be used anywhere you would normally use canned
chicken broth or prepared chicken bouillon. Another option is
to use it along with the chicken you saved yesterday to make a
soup. Several soups on this site are made from a boiled chicken
carcass. It's a frugal way to get 1 more meal out of that
expensive chicken. Plus, since it's homemade you know it's good
for you.
Notes
The entire process of boiling a chicken carcass is
straightforward. If you're going to be in the kitchen anyway,
like on baking day or when you're cleaning the kitchen up after
dinner, then it's a small matter to boil and strain the chicken
before going to bed. Another option is to do it in the morning
and then by dinner the fat will be hard enough to remove and you can
use the broth and meat for a hearty soup for supper. Think over
your daily schedule and make a little time to boil some leftover
chicken bones. You'll be amazed at the results and never again
be tempted by those little hermetically sealed boxes of natural or
organic chicken broth that cost a small fortune and seldom taste as
good as they promise. On the frugal front, your broth will be
free, which makes those boxes of broth seem even more
expensive by comparison.
And above
all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall
cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another
without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so
minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold
grace of God.--1 Peter 4:8-10
