Best Crock Pot Chicken Stock Recipes

KITTENCAL'S BEST CHICKEN STOCK/BROTH (CROCK POT OPTION)

Steps:

• Place the chicken pieces and/or carcass (or the turkey carcass) in an extra large stock pot, along with all remaining ingredients.
• Fill with cold water to cover ingredients, and up to almost three quarters of the stock pot.
• Place on stove element; cover and bring to a full boil.
• Reduce heat; simmer and remove any fat or scum that is floating on top of the water.
• At this point you can transfer to a crockpot.
• Simmer covered with a lid on low heat for about 4-5 hours for stove top (or 9-12 hours on LOW setting for a crockpot).
• Adjust salt to suit taste.
• After the 5-6 hours of simmering time turn off heat and allow the pot to sit until room temperature with all ingredients still in the pot, DO NOT REMOVE BONES OR VEGGIES.
• Transfer the pot to the fridge (with all ingredients still in it) and chill overnight.
• THE FOLLOWING DAY: Remove the pot from the fridge (mixture will be a jelly consistency).
• Remove any fat that has gathered on top.
• Heat again until just to a liquid (this will make it easier to strain).
• Remove all chicken pieces and strain in a large strainer, if desired you may strain again in a cheesecloth, but it is not necessary.
• Let cool completely and freeze in containers.

CROCK POT CHICKEN OR TURKEY STOCK

Steps:

• Preheat the crock-pot on high.
• Try breaking up the bones as small as possible, place with all the other ingredients in the crock-pot.
• Cover with as much boiling water your crock-pot can take, I can add approx 6 cups of water.
• Switch to LOW and cook for 12 or up to 24 hours.
• Strain, cool, skim of the fat, use the stock or freeze.
• If there is any meat on the bones, remove it and use for the soup or other dishes, it will be also good for a ragout.
• Enjoy!

CROCK POT CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• After eating the cooked chickens for the original chicken dinners pick all meat from bones and reserve for other purposes.
• Break the bones apart so that they'll fit better into the crock pot.
• Put bones, skin, and fat from the chickens and the giblets, if available, into a 6qt crock pot.
• Add vegetables.
• Add cold water until crock pot is full to 1 1/2 inches below the rim.
• Cook on high 4 hours and then on low for another 6-8 hours.
• Strain the stock through a colander or cheesecloth and chill to solidify the fat for easy removal.
• Portion out and freeze stock in whatever quantities suit your needs.
• Tip -- Be sure that the water is COLD. Cold water draws the goodness out of the bones and veggies while hot water seals it inches So for stock you want to start with cold water and heat slowly to draw all the flavor into the stock while for cooking the meat/veggies to eat those you would plunge them into boiling water and cook rapidly to preserve the flavor in the meat/veggies.
• Tip -- Don't avoid using the fat. It adds flavor as it simmers and you remove it at the end anyway.
• Tip -- Unless your budget dictates that no possible source of protein/calories should be overlooked any meat that might be remaining on the bones is not worth salvaging because it will be mushy and tasteless.
• Tip -- This strong, jellied stock can be diluted with up to an equal quantity of water if you need to stretch the supply.
• Tip -- If one of the other uses you have for the chicken meat is chicken salad or any other dish that calls for celery you can substitute the leaves and trimmings from several celery stocks instead of using whole stalks.
• Tip -- Some people use the onions peel and all. I find stock made that way can be a touch bitter. But it does give a very rich color when using yellow onions. Try it once to see if you like it. (If you don't the stock is not wasted because you can use it in curry where the intensity of the spices will overpower the unwanted flavor anyway).
• Tip -- you can save chicken carcasses and giblets in the freezer until wanted.
• Tip -- You can substitute turkey or use a mix of turkey and chicken if you have it on hand.

HERBED ROAST CHICKEN FOR CROCK POT (WITH BONUS STOCK)

Steps:

• Cut up the onion, celery and carrots and put them in the bottom of your crock pot. You are not going to eat these with the chicken, they stay there for making stock. Limp veggies are OK for this part. Putting them in the bottom of the crock pot keeps the chicken elevated out of the juice and lets the bird roast instead of stew.
• Combine the garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add about 1/2 tsp of the fresh thyme leaves or all of the dried thyme. I combine in a small food processor, but you can do this by hand.
• Remove all the stuff they pack on the inside of your chicken and place them (neck and innards, NOT the plastic bag) in the crock pot with the veggies. You aren't eating innards, but they DO make the stock taste richer. Remove as much of the excess chicken fat as is practical.
• Take the garlic paste and spread it under the skin of the chicken. Try not to poke holes in the skin. Make sure you flavor the breasts and thighs. Now stuff the orange or lemon slices and fresh thyme (if using) under the skin as well. If you have extra, place it in the middle of the bird.
• Roast in your crock pot for 3 to 4 hours on hi.
• Remove chicken and enjoy for dinner. Add 2 cups of water to your crock pot and turn it to LO.
• I remove the thighs, legs and wings to a platter for serving. I put the breasts into a ziptop bag for use in another meal unless we're serving company.
• After removing as much of the chicken meat as you care to, return the bones to the crock pot. It helps if you separate the bones or mush them to make it lie flatter. Add enough water to come 1/2 way up the bones. Turn your crock pot on LO for 8 to 12 hours.
• Strain the liquid from the crock pot and refrigerate. Dump the solids into the trash. After the stock has cooled, remove the hard fat from the top and discard. Freeze the stock or use it within a few days.

OVERNIGHT CHICKEN STOCK IN THE CROCK POT

Steps:

• After removing all edible meat from the chicken put/leave the bones, skin, cooking juices, etc. in the crock pot. If you are using the chicken carcass from the "The Best Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot" recipe just leave every single thing that's leftover (except the good meat of course) in the crock pot including the original onion and spices you used when making the chicken. Add the onion, celery, carrot and spices on top of the bones and fill the crock pot almost to the top with tap water (leaving about ½" at the top). Turn the slow cooker onto "low" after dinner and cook all night long or alternatively you could start it in the morning and cook on "low" for 8 - 10 hours during the day. After the stock is done cooking turn off the heat and, using a soup ladle, pass the stock through a fine sieve to remove all herbs/bones/etc. Either refrigerate or freeze the stock for future use. I usually freeze some in both 1 and 2-cup portions, and I also sometimes freeze stock in ice cube trays just in case I just "need a little" for making sauce or rice. This stock is great in soups like chicken noodle soup and also in rice like risotto. Enjoy!