Like most things homemade, making your own chicken broth is so much better than store bought. Although the simmer time is 12-24 hours, it’s easy and mostly hands-off. The longer the simmer the more gelatinous your broth will be. I keep containers in my freezer for soups, stews, sauces, risottos and many uses. See notes below for a bigger batch. While the chicken feet are creepy, they give the broth a gelatinous texture which is good collagen.
15 poundwhole chicken or 5 pounds thighs, legs, backs, wings, feet and bones
1poundchicken feetor 1 more pound chicken pieces (optional)
2largecelery ribsroughly chopped
2mediumcarrotsscrubbed, roughly chopped
1mediumonionroughly chopped
1largedried bay leaf
1handfulparsley leaves and stems
½teaspoonblack peppercorns
6sprigsfresh thyme
1-2tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
4quartsfiltered water
Extra boiling water as needed
Instructions
How to Cut up a Whole Chicken
If using a whole chicken, break it down into pieces with a sharp French knife, Chef’s knife, or cleaver. See the photos in the post for help. Start by cutting off the leg and thigh pieces and cut them in half at the joint, then cut off the wings. Next, cut through the center breast bone of the chicken, splitting the body into two halves. Cut the breasts free and cut them in half. What’s left is the body. Cut that in half crosswise. Remove excess skin. Poultry shears also help break it down.
Start the Broth
Add the chicken pieces to a large stock pot, about 10-12 quarts. Cover with the water and bring to a simmer. As the chicken simmers, impurities will begin to rise to the top. It looks like a gray foamy scum. Skim it off and discard. Continue to skim and discard until its mostly gone.
Long Simmer the Broth
Add the vegetables, peppercorns, thyme and apple cider vinegar. Keep the pot at a low simmer for 20-24 hours, adding boiling water from a kettle if the water level gets low. The longer you simmer, the better.
Strain and Chill the Broth
Strain out the spent vegetables, meat, bones, etc. and cool the broth in a large stainless steel bowl or pot in a sink filled with ice and water. Place a small rack or trivet under the pot to speed cooling. Stir occasionally to assist cooling. Refrigerate broth, covered, overnight.
Use and Freezing
Skim off the solidified fat in the morning. Use broth within 3 days or portion and freeze in small containers, labeled, for up to three months.
Notes
I let my chicken broth simmer for 20-24 hours. As the water level drops, add hot water from a boiling tea kettle to bring it back up. It won’t dilute it. The broth comes out gloriously rich and golden. Any questions, please use the comment section. For extra rich, gelatinous broth with lots of collagen I use approximately 5 pounds of chicken pieces or 4-5 roasted saved bodies and add 1-2 pounds of chicken feet. While they are creepy looking they are a great source of collagen.