It is tempting in the fast paced world we live in today to skip this basic food preparation step and buy ready made chicken stock cubes you find in the dry cupboard items in the supermarkets. They are cheap, convenient and fast. But they may lack the nutrients that come with a homemade chicken broth. Here is recipe that has served me well over the years that you can make for your family and loved ones and create many delicious and nutritious recipes.
1 whole chicken between 1.750-2kg bird
2 whole onions -quartered
4 celery sticks-chopped in 2 inch pieces
2 whole leek- washed and slit in half lengthways
1/2 whole head of garlic- slit in half horizontally
5 stems of parsley stalks with leaves
Juice of half a lemon or
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 whole cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 bayleaf
8-10 fresh thyme sprigs
1 tsp unrefined salt
Filtered water- enough to cover the bird or to come halfway up the bird
1. Put the chicken in to a large stainless steel pot and top with cold filtered water. Put on stove and bring slowly to the boil.
2. Once the pot has come to boiling point skim the froth that collects on the surface and than add the vegetables. herbs and all the above ingredients. Bring back to boiling point and than reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
3. Simmer the chicken broth for about 2 hours (this will depend on the size of the chicken) and occasionally give it a good skim to keep the broth clear.
4. I usually turn my pot off when the leg knuckle breaks off with no effort from the leg bone. That indicates to me that most of the collagen and minerals have seeped into the broth and it is ready for consumption just as it is or to create many more dishes.
5. If you are not consuming the broth right now allow it to cool down and than refrigerate covered in a glass jar or container. It should be OK for 5 days in a cold fridge. If in doubt than once it is cold put it into the freezer.