Homemade Chicken Stock

This summer while I was not teaching I planned on canning a lot of food. I planned on finding meals or shortcuts to meals that I could make healthy. I admit that during the school year I often find myself scrambling to find something to put together. This week I wanted to make Homemade Chicken Soup.

I while back I bought the Balls Complete Book of Home Preserving at Barnes and Noble. It's was $22.00 and is packed full of recipes that are simple enough for a beginner like myself to handle. 

I found two recipes that I used to make my chicken soup. The first one will be the chicken stock to fill the jars. 

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken 

2 medium onions

2 celery stocks

10 peppercorn 

2 Bay leaves 

1 tablespoon of salt ( I used seasalt)

16 cups of water

Directions 

First, fill a large stock pot with the water ( I had to change pots once I realized chicken and ingredients may not fit). Place the whole chicken in with the bones and everything. You can cut it up but I didn't and it was fine. 

Bring the chicken to a boil. While you are waiting chop up all the veggies. I did not make these look pretty since it is just for flavor. 

Once the chicken is boiling turn the stove top down. Place all the ingredients into the pot and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally and let it simmer for 2 hours. 

Your house will smell amazing.

See the new pot. I was nervous of it overflowing.

After 2 hours of simmering remove from heat. This part does take a long time if you are like myself and does not completely read all the directions first. I used a coffee filter to strain the juice. I strained them directly into the quart mason jars. The recipe in the book says to use a cheese cloth ( that would have taken so much less time!) 

Once you strain about 16 cups of stock you should let it cool and scrap the fat off the top. 

I did not process the stock today because I directly put it in another stock pot to make chicken soup to can.