ina garten’s homemade chicken stock

I have a thing for homemade soup. Really. It’s one of the reasons I get so excited about the arrival of autumn each year. When there’s a chill in the air, the soup pot comes out. 

I know, you really can make soup any time of the year but it’s especially appealing in the cooler months. I do my best to keep a stash of Ina Garten’s Homemade Chicken Stock in my freezer at all times.

It’s that good. It’s based on a recipe found in Ina’s cookbook, Barefoot Contessa At Home. I just tweaked it a bit, here and there. It is so flavorful and can be used as the base for so many healthy and delicious dishes.

The initial prep work on this couldn’t be easier. No dicing required …just a quick rinse (or sometimes a scrub), then a chop, here and there. It is all literally dumped into a giant stockpot.

That’s the one part of this recipe that can’t be tweaked. You must have a very large stockpot. One that will hold from 16 to 20 quarts. It doesn’t have to be a fancy one but it does have to be large.

I’ve seen stainless steel versions offered on Amazon for under $25. Well worth the investment, I’d say.

You won’t believe the aroma coming from your kitchen while this collection of goodness is simmering.

• The total simmer time is 5 hours.
• But after 1 1/4 hours, you’ll carefully remove the chickens from the pot.
• Once cool enough to handle, the chicken meat is pulled from the bone and set aside.
• The bones are then returned to the bubbling stock for the remaining simmering time.

Allow me to share my personal suggestion here…

I have a thing about avoiding waste in my kitchen.

We tend to purchase an organic rotisserie chicken from the local market fairly often. They’re awesome for when you want to make your own chicken salad or throw together a quick chicken noodle soup.

• I have recently made a habit of stuffing the cleaned carcass into a ziplock bag and storing it in the freezer.
• When I have a frozen stash of about four carcasses, it’s the perfect time to make a batch of homemade chicken stock.
• It’s certainly cost effective.
• And perfectly seasoned as long as you stick with the basic rotisserie chicken.
• No need to purchase costly organic whole chickens for your homemade stock.
• No need to pick through the hot chicken, separating the meat from the bones.
• Simply add the carcasses to the stock pot in place of the whole chickens and let it simmer for the afternoon.
• My chicken stock has never been better.

I’m sure you’ve heard all the buzz about the benefits of bone broth these days. It is recommended that we enjoy a serving once a day. Good quality organic bone broth is quite pricey but it is available at the high-end food stores.

You can easily make your own bone broth at home but I must warn you …the average cook time is 24 hours. The key is to cook the bones down enough that you are left with a concentrated broth …also referred to as gelatin.

The gelatin in bone broth is thought of as having potent healing properties. Gelatin has been a known remedy for many different digestive and gut-related conditions. Gelatin contains the amino acid glycine, which is needed to complete the detoxification process and to assist the liver to function optimally.

I may be skipping ahead here, but I must show you what can be achieved after a five-hour simmer and a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

Do you notice how the “jello-like” gelatine has formed in the stock? The jiggly texture? That’s the good stuff …so good for you. And with all of the wonderful vegetables and herbs that we’ve added to the mix, the full flavor is amazing. It’s a win-win.

Once the stock has finished cooking, it will have decreased in volume. That’s okay. It just means that the flavor will be more concentrated. At this point, all of the contents must be strained to remove any and all solids. I find the easiest method is to place a large micro-mesh colander over a large pot.

I use my Pyrex 4-cup glass measuring container to scoop out the contents a little bit at a time. Once you’ve removed enough and can easily handle the large stock pot, pour the rest into the colander.

Have your storage containers (wide-mouth Ball jars are ideal) ready and lined up so that you can fill them as you go, making room in the large pot during the straining process. I typically use quart-sized jars but you may want to include a few smaller ones. Totally up to you.

You’ll notice some fat rising to the top of each jar.

After spending the night in the fridge, that fat will solidify and can easily be removed with a spoon. Don’t throw it away!

• Skim if off the top of each jar .
• Transfer all of the fat to a small container.
• Add a label to the lid and store it in your freezer.
• Perfect for future sauces and gravies.

Ina Garten’s Homemade Chicken Stock can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Or freeze for up to 3 months. If you are planning to freeze some, be sure to leave at least an inch of air space at the top of each jar. The frozen stock will expand and needs some room to grow.

I highly recommend freezing this goodness so that you always have some on hand.

Be sure to label each container and include a “use by” date. There’s nothing worse than browsing in your freezer, wondering what those mystery items are in there. And how long have they been hangin’ out?

This stock can be used to add to sauces and stews or to just sip on for the health benefits. I like to add it to my homemade soups along with regular organic broth. The flavor really is intense and will take your next pot of soup right over the top. Guaranteed.

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have personally experienced all of these products, and I recommend them because I have found them to be of superior quality.

Ways to use this delicious stock…