Making chicken stock is one of the first things I started doing in my journey to nourishing food. Because I’d never done it before, it seemed intimidating. It’s not. It’s easy, nutritious, and saves you money. Please don’t throw those bones away.
My first go around I tentatively used my stove top and the stock was delicious, but when it was refrigerated it came out looking like jell-o. Then I found out that that was a good thing! You want your stock to gelatinize – it means it is not only delicious, but an extremely nutritious real food as well.
After making stock on my stove top for a while I found an even easier method – the crock pot! During the summer I will sometimes roast a chicken in the crock pot itself to avoid turning on the oven. This way I don’t even have to dirty up a roasting pan and my house stays cooler at the same time. In the cooler months you should roast your chicken in the oven – crispy chicken skin anyone?
But, back to the stock – I will show you my favorite method using the crock pot. It works for me.
Crock Pot Chicken Stock
1). Every week or two I buy a whole free range, organic chicken from our farmer.
2). Roast the chicken in the oven (or crock pot in summer) and enjoy one of my favorite meals – roast chicken with vegetables and millet. For our family size we always have a good amount of leftover chicken to use throughout the week in salads, sandwiches, etc.
3). Cut all of the meat off of the bones. Place the chicken carcass and any stray bones into your crock pot. For a larger chicken (6 lbs) I use my 6 quart crock, for a smaller chicken (4 lbs) I use a 4 1/2 quart crock.
4). Add any additional vegetables you’d like – onions, celery, carrots, garlic, herbs. I like to keep a bag in the freezer of the scraps left from chopping onions and celery. I then just dump this bag in with the bones when I begin the stock.
5). Cover the bones and vegetables with cold filtered water. Cold because this allows the flavor and nutrients to be fully extracted from the bones, and filtered because you really don’t want chlorine or fluoride in their.
6). Add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar (I usually use apple cider) and allow to sit for about an hour. You really need to do this to allow the minerals to be extracted from the bones. I let it sit while I wash dishes and clean up the kitchen. This way it is no hassle at all.
7). Turn the slow cooker to low and allow to simmer overnight. I usually let it go for about 18-24 hours.
8). Once it has cooled a bit, strain chicken stock using a colander, sieve or cheesecloth.
9). Store in quart canning jars and use in soups, stews, sauces and for cooking grains.
Adrenal Fatigue: Causes and Cures
Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms and Diagnosis
Adrenal Fatigue: Introduction and Definitions
Fluffy Coconut Flour Pancakes
As much as I like to cook, I’m embarassed to say that I’ve never done this. Next time I roast a chicken, I’m doing it. Should have done it this weekend after I roasted a turkey. Shame on me.
[Reply]
[...] Crock Pot Chicken Stock by Shannon at Nourishing [...]
I’ve done this overnight with beef, but not chicken. I like the idea of roasting the chicken in it and then just tossing the bones back in to make stock.
pam’s last blog post..Chicken Biryani
[Reply]
I’ve been doing this for a few months now – it works great and it couldn’t be simpler. I didn’t know about the vinegar – I’ll try that next time.
[Reply]
Ooh, I didn’t know the bit about the vinegar! I’ll definately try that next time I make stock. Thanks!
mub’s last blog post..Freezing Onions and Garlic
[Reply]
I also didn’t know about the vinegar. Gonna try it next time, too. Thanks for sharing! My husband loves chicken noodle soup made from our own chicken stock.
Amanda T’s last blog post..Salt Dough Recipe
[Reply]
This is helpful. How long do you keep your stock in the fridge? Does it last longer than chicken? I keep mine for 3 days, but sometimes that is not long enough to use it. Sometimes I freeze it, but I like it ready in the fridge.
Houstonmom’s last blog post..Washing clothes manually – w/o electricity
[Reply]
I do this just about every time I make roast chicken, which is almost every week. We love the broth!
Just curious, when you serve millet with your roast chicken, how do you cook it? I just browsed the millet recipes you had listed (the bake, biscuits-LOVE those!-, and dumplings) but wasn’t sure what of those would go.
Thanks.
[Reply]
Cathy – We serve just plain cooked millet. I soak it in water/whey overnight and then cook it like brown rice.
[Reply]
I keep my stock in the fridge for about a week or so. What I do is no matter how long it has been in the fridge I always bring the stock to a boil with whatever I am cooking it with. That way if their are any bugs in there they are gone. Because stock is so hot and then cools down it is in the range of easily taking in the ickies. So always boil.
[Reply]
Ok, thanks!
The baby (well, 13 months now) also loves the bone broth (cooled somewhat, of course) to drink from his sippy cup for a nourishing beverage.
[Reply]
[...] dinner: taco salad, slow cooked pinto beans, brown rice cooked in chicken stock [...]
I used your method and got the best stock I’ve made. Thanks!
houstonmom’s last blog post..Back to spring cleaning – book overwhelm
[Reply]
[...] that was left to do in the kitchen was to put the dinner food away, use the chicken bones to start chicken stock in my crock pot and wash up the [...]
[...] I had the above salad with chicken, celery sticks with peanut butter and a coconut flour muffin with butter. My toddler had chicken with millet, a banana and a glass of raw milk. Once the boys were down for naps I used the millet flour I had ground up earlier to make biscuits. Then I strained out the chicken stock I had made in the crock pot overnight. [...]
Wow – I use my crock pot *all the time* but I’ve never thought of making stock in it. Thanks for the post!
Keri’s last blog post..A Borax Miracle
[Reply]
[...] Today the leather chicken is being transformed into chicken stock. I found a new crock pot stock recipe I love (yes I’m contridicting [...]
I bought a slow cooker to make my stock, but the lovely people on the WAP site said you need to do it in a pot, so you can skim. You can’t skim in the slow cooker. And apparently the skimming is an important part of the process and was done traditionally by the tribes in the WAP studies.
[Reply]
Jay – you can skim in the crock pot, but you have to wait for it to heat up long enough before the impurities come to the top.
[Reply]
When I used to make stocks on the stove top, I would carefully and frequently skim upon having to bring it to a boil. Using variations on this recipe, I’ve made chicken stock in my crock pot for over a year now, and I’ve never had to bother with skimming. That’s the beauty and ease of crock pot slow extraction in my experience. Beautiful, clear stock every time.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Broth-in-a-Slow-Cooker/Detail.aspx
I always simmer for 24 hrs also. I cook a 5 – 7 lb bird in my crock pot alone or with a spicy rub for 8 – 10 hrs on low. The meat is so tender and falls right off the bones. Usually produces about 1 quart of richly concentrated liquid yard bird gold that gels beautifully in fridge. I’ll either freeze it for future use or make a lovely gravy. I then make my stock after I’ve collected a couple of carcasses. Shannon, thanks ever so for the vinegar tip, and to all your readers for their thoughtful comments. Great website, and I very much appreciate your stated philosophical perspectives.
Cheers to all, and happy cooking!
[Reply]
[...] quinoa, cooked according to package directions in homemade chicken stock (I use this recipe for chicken stock – easy and amazingly [...]
[...] the freezer and add to your next batch. They will add yummy flavor for mere pennies! Check out this recipe for making stock in the Crock Pot by Nourishing [...]
Okay…. so this is a rookie question. As far as the “carcass” you mean the bones, skin and anything leftover from the whole chicken… except for the actual meat. Right? And do you know of anything you can do with the juices leftover from the roasted chicken? Or is that simply trash? Thanks I’m LOVING, LOVING your blog!
[Reply]
I made this over the weekend with a chicken carcass my mom gave me. It worked wonderfully! We don’t eat many soups because my husband is not fond of them, but I’ll definitely use this for cooking rice and pinto beans.
[Reply]
Lorraine – Yep. After I have cut all of the meat off of the bones, whatever is left goes straight into the crock pot. I then pour the chicken juices from the roasting process in with the carcass.
[Reply]
[...] version here. (Cook chicken, remove meat, put bones back in with 2 Tbsp. vinegar and 5 c. filtered water with [...]
Ok, sorry if this is obvious…but let me see if I have this straight…I’m going to cook my chicken (with seasonings, but no added liquid) in my crockpot all day. Then I’m going to remove the meat for dinner, put the carcass back in the crock pot, add in your ingredients above and basically let it go another 24 hours.
So if I understand, the crockpot is more or less going for the whole process– like 36ish hours?? Two steps: 1. chicken in crockpot. 2. stock in crockpot. Or are you supposed to cook the chicken in some liquid that later becomes the stock??
Thanks so much!!!
[Reply]
Hi, I just discovered your site from a link at Cheeseslave… I’ve always made chicken stock in a stock pot so I could make a lot at once and freeze most of it. Now I’m thinking this would be an easy way to make smaller amounts more frequently. It doesn’t seem like the Low setting would be high enough to make stock, though. I may experiment with this. Thanks!
[Reply]
Ruby Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
In my experience the low setting is perfect and it is more about the length of time that I have cooked it that produces the nicest most flavorfu broth….
[Reply]
Jeanmarie – Sometimes I crank it up to high if I walk past and notice it’s not bubbling very much.
[Reply]
Hi! I have been using our crock pot for years now pretty much the same as you describe, with a few variations, to make stock for a nice warm or cool beverage or for the base in just about any recipe. Since we raise our own chicken, I always have feet for the stock which add much gelatin. Each time I roast a chicken in our oven or aroma style convection counter top oven, I save any and all bones and meaty knuckly parts in a coconut oil bucket in my freezer. When the bucket is full, time to make stock! I simmer/keep on warm for 4 hours/simmer again and keep on warm for four hours for as long as it takes for the bones to become soft. Then I strain into a stainless or porcelain stock pot and add the feet and onions, carrots, celery, peas, garlic, and then cilantro and parsley and simmer a while til it’s done. (The reason I wait to put my veggies in is I can use them for a soup or casserole and they aren’t cooked to smitherines. And I think it gives the end product, the broth,a fresher taste. ) Sometimes I’ll boil a chicken for a soup and use the “chicken water” too, as sometimes my stock is so rich. I’ll fill several mason jars for the next few days drinking and cooking and put the rest in freezer jars. The beauty of making your own healthy stock at home is you can do it your way, tweak your method as you go and get that damn good feeling of making a positive contribution to your family’s nourishment by going back to basics. I laugh when I see those commercials for swanson and other No MSG broth in a box. Broth is the easiest thing to make in your own home and almost never comes out “bad.” Any young person could give his or herself and family a real boost by adopting broth making as part of the weekly routine meal planning and getting the children involved as well!
[Reply]
[...] Homemade Yogurt in the Crockpot 2. Fresh Stock in the Crockpot (Nourishing Days) 3. Crockpot Ragout (a simple easy meal for a busy day!) 4. Crockpot Chicken or [...]
I’ve recently started making stocks too but have never tried it in the crock pot. Thanks for the great idea! Two questions though: 1) On Wednesday’s (church night) we occasionally buy a pre-roasted chicken from Whole Foods. I feel good about using the leftover carcass to make stock since their chicken is free range, no hormones, etc. However, it never foams or gels as much as when using a raw chicken. Do you think it’s even worthwhile nutritionally? 2) I’ve considered making a huge batch of stock for canning so as to have a ready-to-use supply on hand. Have you ever tried this? If so, any tips/tricks? Many, many thanks!
[Reply]
Christina – I never use a raw chicken, so yes I guess I do believe it is worth trying nutritionally. Make sure you let the vinegar sit before heating and allow it to cook long enough to allow the gelatin to come out. I have never pressure canned my own stock, but I know that many women do!
[Reply]
I am so excited to try stock for the first time using this method. One question – where’s the salt? Is everyone referring to a totally unsalted broth or do you add salt at a certain point?
I’m pretty used to using low sodium commercial boxed stuff so I’m curious if this stock is supposed to be unsalted.
Thanks in advance!
Love this website, very inspiring.
[Reply]
Rachel – I do not add salt to the stock, but rather wait until I am cooking with it. I don’t think there would be anything wrong with adding a couple of teaspoons of sea salt to the batch while it’s cooking, though.
[Reply]
[...] The internet is full of opinions about how to roast a chicken. I put butter and seasonings under the skin and am roasting it for fifteen minutes on 450 degrees and 55 minutes at 375 degrees. Then I’ll let it rest — apparently this is important — while deglazing the pan. I’m REALLY looking forward to making chicken stock out of the carcass — it turns out that you can do this in a crock pot. [...]
[...] prepare squash for storage, start beef stock and catch up on [...]
One of the things I like to do with some of my stock is to fill ice cube trays with it. Once frozen I just pop them out and store in a baggie. Each morning I add a cube of stock to a cup of hot water, add ~ 1/8 tsp. Turmeric (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties + numerous other benefits), ~1/4 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt, and a dash of Kelp (for the iodine and other minerals) and drink it on an empty stomach. I also give this to my boys. It’s an easy way to get a lot of very absorbable vitamins and minerals on a daily basis, in addition to being very healing to the “gut”.
[Reply]
Ruby Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
this is a cool idea, thanks
[Reply]
Each time I make the stock it comes out pretty dark. Much darker than the pictures you have. Am I doing something wrong?
[Reply]
this is probably the stupidest question ever, but i’ve got a stock going in the crockpot right now, but i started wondering if i should take the lid off? i didn’t know about the vinegar or skimming, either. should we still eat it, do you think? thanks! loving your blog!!
[Reply]
Shannon Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Megan – No, leave the lid on otherwise it will evaporate too rapidly. And yes, even if you didn’t add vinegar or skim it you can still eat it. Just try those two steps next time!
[Reply]
This is the way I do it, too. I tried maybe once on the stove top but then I thought it was too much stress to actually leave the stove on and controlling the temp wasn’t my thing either, but this way rocks and I always do a double cycle to add up to atleast 16hours. I never do the ACV though, I will try and remember that from now on.
Thanks!
[Reply]
I roasted my first whole chicken a couple of weeks ago and made stock in the crockpot with it – it gelled, and I worried, but it all came out great in the end! I froze the stock in cup increments in ziplocs; now I have this nice pretty stack of roasted chicken stock in the freezer for anytime I need it. Next time I’ll definitely use some of the spare jars lying about. The vinegar tip is nice too!
[Reply]
I’ve been experimenting with making my own stock for about a year now. I’ve read many different suggestions on how to do it and they are all very similar. My problem is that when ever I make it, it never seems to be very flavorful. If I use it to make soup I always feel the need to add a few bouillon cubes to add more flavor.
Any ideas on what I may be doing wrong? I usually just add enough water to cover the bones, but I always wonder if it’s too much water. Am I just use to all the other things they put in bouillon cubes and chicken broth that pure broth is more simple? I’m just not sure, but I want to figure it out.
Help?
Thanks.
[Reply]
Shannon Reply:
April 11th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Angel – One thought is that you are used to bouillon cubes and the fake flavors that they impart. The MSG and chemical “flavors” trick your brain into wanting more. Another thought is that you haven’t added enough salt. I don’t add salt when I am making stock, but when cooking with it I make sure to add plenty of celtic sea salt.
[Reply]
This looks easy! I am going to try this on my own for sure.
[Reply]
I pour my stock into muffin tins. They thaw faster and if you only need a small amount for something, you don’t have to thaw out a whole jar.
[Reply]
Do you have a crock pot that does not contain lead in the glaze? I would love to make stock this way, but from what I read it is very difficult to find a crock pot that does not contain lead in the glaze and simmering something for that long would certainly leach lead into my food.
[Reply]
Shannon Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Holly – I use a Hamilton Beach brand crock pot. From what I have read it is the best you can get.
[Reply]
I just tried this.. The stock is currently on my counter cooling before going to the fridge. I am looking forward to seeing how it gels! I added baby carrots, brussel sprouts and fresh oregano and parsley. My stock is really dark!
[Reply]