Homemade Chicken Stock!

Missing from the picture is a ziploc freezer bag of chicken stock!

So last night for dinner I made a Roasted Chicken (in my Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker --took 45 minutes in the microwave!) and did not want to waste the bones, skin and little extra pieces of chicken. I have watched cooking shows and read tons of blogs about how to make homemade chicken stock from the chicken carcass, water, parsley and veggies. It was 7:00 pm when I decided that I would try this out. 


Ingredients: 


- 1 chicken carcass 
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 carrots
- 2 tbsp. parsley
- 1 onion
- water to cover everything

I placed the chicken carcass in the large pot and covered it with cold water. Then added the carrots, celery and onion - after I cut them up into quarters - I did not peel them or anything. Then mixed in the parsley. I brought everything to a boil and then simmered everything for 4 hours. 


I filled 3 small canning jars with some chicken stock to see the color - I then transferred everything into my crock pot to simmer for another 8 hours. The longer the richer the stock. I was so glad I did this but my house smelled SO GOOD through out the night. Not the best for a pregnant woman trying to sleep. lol (I did not get up to eat anything though - I was beyond tired.) 


This morning I woke and turned the crock pot off and strained the chicken stock. I then filled all of the canning jars I had plus one ziploc freezer bag probably about 2 to 3 cups worth. What made me really happy was that I didn't have to boil my cans for 10 minutes to seal them - they sealed by themselves. And I even used 2 old lids and they sealed too! AMAZING!


Have you made your own chicken stock? It was so easy and totally worth it. I am making chicken pot pie tonight with the leftover chicken. Can't wait! It is making me hungry already. 


{Update: You need to pressure cook the cans if you are not going to freeze them. looking for one now - cans are in the freezer.)