The Easiest Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

Because as beautiful as a simmering pot of chicken stock is, chicken pho made with stock is prettier. Recipe to come soon, as soon as I can tear my mouth away from my spoon. 

There’s something to be said about the power of chicken stock. It’s warming on a cold day, comforting on a sick day and delicious almost every other day. After years of buying boxed stock and ultimately being disappointed every time, I started making my own and never looked back. It’s easier than you’d ever imagine, especially when you own a slow cooker and can leave the puppy simmering overnight for the best possible effect.

As someone who also hates to throw things away, DIY stock also offers the best options for using up all the leftover bits I’ve accumulated during the week. Carrot peels, onion bits, and celery tops all go in the pot, along with any chicken bones or the remains of a picked apart chicken carcass we may have dined upon earlier. If you find you don’t have enough bits by the end of the week, just throw it all in a gallon ziplock and pop it in the freezer for later. My favorite stocks of course are ones that go all gelatinous by the end of the cook. Adding a splash of vinegar can help extract the collagen from the bones. Rich, hearty, with deep flavor that adds just a little something extra you’ll never look at boxed stock the same way again.

Chicken Stock:  Makes about 2 1/2 quarts

Ingredients
Bones from 1 or more roasted chickens, meat picked clean
2 medium yellow onions, sliced into quarters
4 stalks celery, chopped in large pieces
2 medium carrots, chopped in large pieces
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp whole peppercorns
Herb Bundle of any of the following: thyme, parsley stems, garlic cloves, fennel fronds, leek tops

Veggies can always be a combination of scraps, bits and new produce. This is just a guideline.

Equipment
6-quart or larger slow cooker
Fine-mesh strainer
Large bowls
Tongs
Coffee filter or cheesecloth, optional
Small containers for storing the stock

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker: Place the chicken carcass in the middle of the slow cooker (if you have more than one chicken, break the carcass into pieces so it all fits). Loose bones, like drumsticks, can be tucked inside the chicken carcass to save space. If you have the time, I highly recommend charring the outside of the onions before adding…no one ever complained about extra depth of flavor. Add the roughly chopped vegetables and scatter them around the chicken. Add the bay leaf, vinegar, salt and any other herbs.
   **About the salt: Personally, I like adding salt to stock. Some people prefer not to because you have to adjust for the salt concent when you’re cooking. But since I’m really the only one using the stock in our house, I get to do what I want. And that means salt. I feel like it brings out the flavors a bit more and makes for stock that’s more “ready to go” at the drop of a hat.
2. Cover with water: Add enough water to cover the chicken bones. It’s fine to fill to within an inch of the top of the slow cooker, this isn’t going to be bubbling over.
3. Cook for at least 8 hours: Set the slow cooker to “low” and cook for at least 8 hours, or longer. If your slow cooker has a timer, you may need to reset it once or twice during cooking. Usually after dinner, I’ll put the crock together and let it go overnight. Waking up to the smell of chicken stock in the morning isn’t half bad. Especially when it means you can make a quick cup of chicken miso soup to-go.
4. Strain the stock: Set a strainer over a large bowl. Use tongs to transfer the big bones and vegetables from the slow cooker to the strainer. When only small bits remain, pour the stock through the strainer and into the bowl. If you’d like a cleaner, clearer stock, clean out your strainer, line it with a coffee filter or cheesecloth, and strain the stock again. Don’t feel bad about discarding the veggies. They’re done their part and given up just about all the flavor they possibly can.
5. Store the stock: Divide the stock between several small jars or storage containers. Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
6. A Note About Gelling: Depending on what type of chicken bits you’ve used, (bones, necks, feet, etc) you may find to your surprise that refrigerated cooled stock has turned into chicken jell-o. This is perfectly fine, great even! It means that you successfully extracted mucho collagen out of those bones, plus extra calcium. Once the stock comes up to room temp it will re-liquify, turning into velvety, mouth-coatingly fine, chicken-y goodness.

**Recipe adapted from thekitchn.com