I don’t tend to roast whole chickens anymore, I bone the whole chickens when I get them home from the supermarket and freeze the pieces. Then I make a stock straight away, I use chicken feet as well which I purchase through Commonsense Organics, this makes the stock lovely and gelatinous. A good stock is gut healing goodness.
Chicken broth is well known for its ability to heal the digestive system, particularly leaky gut syndrome. Three of the primary amino acids found in bone broth are glycine, proline and l-glutamine. Bone broth also contains plenty of healthy fat and important nutrients like:
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
How do you make bone broth?
I use my Pressure Cooker, but a Crock pot or pot on the stove will work as well, though this will take a lot longer.
I use organically-raised Bostocks chicken https://bostocksorganic.co.nz/
Ingredients
1.5 kg organic chicken bones and frames
2-4 chicken feet ( optional)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 leeks, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 garlic bulb, halved across the middle
1 tbsp black peppercorns lightly crushed
4 litres of cold water
Instructions
Place chicken bones and feet ( if using) in a crockpot or large saucepan, cover with water. Add vinegar, onion, carrots, celery, leeks and peppercorns and allow to stand for an hour.
If using a saucepan bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer for 6-8 hours. Be sure to skim any scum off the surface of the liquid. If using a crockpot put on for 8 hours, the longer you cook the stock the richer and more flavourful the stock will be.
Strain the stock through a fine sieve, cover and place in the fridge until the fat rises to the top and sets, discard the fat.
Broth may be stored in glass jars with lids in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen indefinitely. Don’t fill the jar too fill as it may expand and crack in the freezer.
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can use a big saucepan and slow cooker ( crockpot). You will need to simmer for longer though I usually put the crockpot on a couple of times so for about 12 hours.
I also like to buy 2 chickens at a time and double the above recipe. Saves time. And I have a good stock of frozen chicken pieces in the freezer.