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Homemade Chicken broth

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Leftover Chicken carcass or any bony chicken pieces roasted
  • 1 Pack Chicken feet Around 10/12 is great
  • 4 Ribs of Celery
  • 3 Medium carrots
  • 1 Medium brown onion Keep the skin on, it give the broth a nice colour
  • 1 leek Sliced down and rinsed well
  • 3 Thin Slices Ginger Not too much, as it packs of lot of punch
  • 2 Garlic heads Sliced horizontally with skin on
  • 3 Bay leaves Fresh or dried
  • 1 pack Parsley
  • Handful of whole peppercorns
  • Salt To taste
  • Water Enough to cover

Equipment

  • 1 Large stock pot, slow cooker, or pressure cooker
  • Muslin cloth or cheesecloth For herb bundle
  • 1 Fine mesh strainer
  • 1 Large bowl for straining
  • Storage containers or silicone moulds (for stock cubes)

Method
 

  1. Prep Your Bones If you're not using a leftover chicken carcass, roast your bones and feet first! Pop them in the oven at 180°C (fan) for 30-45 minutes until they're a lovely golden brown. This step adds incredible depth of flavour.
  2. Prepare Your Vegetables Give all your veggies a good wash and chop them into large chunks – no need to be too precise here! Halve the onion and garlic, keeping the skins on (they add wonderful color and nutrients).
  3. Create Your Herb Bundle Place the parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns into a cooking cloth bag or muslin, tying it securely. This makes straining so much easier later!
  4. Time to Cook Add everything to your pot of choice and cover with water:
    Pressure cooker: Follow your manufacturer's recommended time for bone broth
    Slow cooker: Set it and forget it for 12-24 hours on low
    Stock pot: Simmer gently for 12-24 hours on the stovetop, checking occasionally
  5. Strain for Perfection When your broth is richly coloured and aromatic, it's time to strain! First, use a colander and ladle to carefully transfer the broth into a large bowl (this prevents hot splashes). Then, pour through a fine mesh strainer for that beautiful, clear finish.
  6. And voila – liquid gold! Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in portions for whenever you need it.
  7. Bonus Tip: Make Your Own Stock Cubes!
    Want something even more convenient? Take some of your broth and boil it down until it's concentrated and reduced. Pour this rich, concentrated stock into silicone moulds and let it set. If you're not using them within 3-4 days, pop them straight into the freezer. Now you've got homemade stock cubes ready whenever you need them – perfect for adding instant flavour to soups, risottos, and sauces!

Notes

Tip: The longer you simmer, the richer and more nutritious your broth becomes. Don't be afraid to let it go for the full 24 hours!
The volume of stock produced really depends on the size of pot its cooked in, I would say on average you would get at least two litres of broth.
Second extraction bonus: Don't rule out a second extraction! Add some fresh aromatics and fill again with water for a second batch. As they say: waste not, want not. While it won't be quite as rich as the first batch, it still makes a lovely, lighter broth perfect for everyday cooking.