What is your favorite soup?
Why not make it with homemade chicken stock instead of store-bought? It’s simple to make, economical, and more nutritious, and you know exactly what went into the stock and therefore your soup!
I’m often asked the difference between stock and broth. It’s simple, the broth is the juice that comes from cooking only meat products, it tends to be lighter with less flavor whereas stock has been made with the bones of the chicken and is more nutritious. When using store-bought, I always reach for stock because of the richer in flavor.
When making homemade stock, I generally use rotisserie chicken. It has the skin on, the bones of course, and some meat left on the carcass. When we’ve finished with a rotisserie chicken dinner, I simply take the remaining bits and place them into a zip-top bag. Place the bag in the freezer until it’s time to make stock.
Beginning with a whole raw chicken is a great way to poach the chicken and make stock at the same time. Keep your pot at a good simmer, not too hot or the meat will be overcooked and tough. You can also place bones in a freezer bag as you have them, in preparation for stock making. When you have enough bones, it’s time for soup!
I like to make a large amount of stock at one time. I place it in plastic containers and store the stock in the freezer for nights when I want to make a quick pot of soup like my Hearty Chicken Noodle or Tortilla Soup.
To make homemade chicken stock, place a salted raw chicken or frozen chicken bones into a large stock pot and cover the chicken with water. Add vegetables and aromatics such as; celery tops, onion, garlic, carrots, fresh or dried parsley, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns to the soup pot. Add a teaspoon of apple cider or white vinegar to the pot to increase the collagen content in the stock. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour at a gentle boil, leaving the top open or slightly covered. Once the liquid has a nice amber color, the stock is ready. I don’t add salt to my stock, this allows me to add just the right amount for each recipe. Allow the stock to cool before running it through a fine mesh sieve. Use the strained stock to make my favorite soup, Roasted Red Pepper, or pour it into containers to freeze for another time.
Please tell me what your favorite soup variety is, I’m always looking for fresh inspiration!
Pro Tip: For the best results freezing, chill the stock completely in the refrigerator before placing it in the freezer.
