The next time you have a rotisserie chicken or make a whole chicken (check out the beer can chicken recipe) this is a great way to repurpose the scraps!
Homemade Chicken Stock
Makes 6-8 cups
Ingredients:
1 leftover rotisserie chicken (bones, skin, and scraps)
4 chicken feet or wings (optional, for extra collagen)
1 yellow onion, quartered
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar
1 cups fresh parsley stems
3.5 liters cold water (enough to cover bones by 2 inches)
1 tsp salt
Directions:
Break the chicken carcass into a few pieces so it fits comfortably in your pot and exposes more bone surface and marrow to the water. Place the chicken scraps and feet or wings (if using) into a large stockpot or slow cooker along with onion, carrots, celery garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley stems.
Pour in cold water until everything is covered by about 2 inches, then add apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps draw collagen and minerals out of the bones — let it sit for 20-30 minutes before heating if you have time.
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to the lowest possible simmer. Skim off any grey foam that rises to the top in the first 20-30 minutes.
Partially cover and simmer very gently for 12-24 hours. You can do this on the stovetop on the lowest heat, in the oven at 200°F, or slow cooker on low. The longer it goes, the more collagen breaks down into gelatin.
Stir in salt, taste, and adjust. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pot, pressing gently on the solids to extract all the liquid, then discard the bones and vegetables.
Let the stock cool slightly, then refrigerate uncovered until fully chilled. A layer of fat will rise and solidify on top — you can skim it off or leave it as a protective seal. Properly made stock should be thick and jiggly like soft jello when cold.
A few Notes
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze in portions (ice cube trays work great) for up to 6 months.
If your stock doesn't gel, don’t worry. Gelling depends on the collagen content of your bones and how long you simmered, not on quality. Adding a few extra chicken feet, wing tips, or a second carcass boosts your odds of a firm gel.
