If you are not making stock from scratch, I encourage you to do so. I like to use a whole chicken for stock. It gives the stock a great deep flavor, at the same time yields tender chicken meat for other uses like salads, soups, etc.
Why I Never Buy Store-Bought Broth
I genuinely believe that homemade chicken stock is one of the most fundamental things you can do to be a better cook. Store-bought stuff? It’s often thin, tastes flat, and is criminally over-salted. Honestly, it’s just a pale imitation.
The Flavor is Simply Superior
The flavor difference is non-negotiable. Homemade stock has a depth and complexity—a true, rich, “chicken-y” flavor—that store-bought broths can’t even touch. It’s not just an ingredient; it’s the flavor foundation that instantly elevates every single dish you make, from a simple rice pilaf to the most decadent sauce or gravy.
The Magic is in the Gelatin (The Holy Grail)
This is the real secret and the clearest sign of a properly made stock. When I cook down those bones, especially the joints and feet, the collagen turns into gelatin. When my stock chills into a glistening, solid jelly, I know I’ve succeeded. This gelatin provides an incredible, velvety richness and a satisfying, “lip-smacking” mouthfeel that is essential for professional-quality sauces (jus), pan gravies, and truly soul-satisfying soups. If your stock doesn’t turn into jelly, you’re missing the point.
Complete Control Over Seasoning
Another huge win: I make my stock completely unsalted. This gives me total authority over the final dish. When you need to reduce stock for a deeply flavored sauce, you can concentrate the flavor without creating a salt bomb. I prefer to control the seasoning at the end, not be limited by some factory’s excessive sodium content.
The Ultimate Zero-Waste Ingredient
Making stock is also the best way to be a conscious cook. It’s a fantastic, thrifty use of kitchen scraps—chicken carcasses, onion peels, carrot tops—things that would otherwise go straight into the bin. It’s truly a cost-effective and zero-waste-practice that makes the effort totally worthwhile.
Store purchased Chicken Stock
Most purchased chicken stock or bases contain autolyzed yeast extract and are usually very high in sodium.
Autolyzed yeast extract is a substance that results when yeast is broken down into its constituent components. It naturally contains free glutamic acid, or monosodium glutamate, and is often used as a less expensive substitute for MSG. For me, that is a good enough reason to make my own soups or chicken stock.
As with all other stocks, I sometimes reduce stock to a glaze, pour into an ice cube tray, and freeze.
Once frozen, I shake them out from the tray, store the frozen cubes in freezer bags and use them as needed.
Homemade Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole chicken
- 2 carrot peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 celery stalks washed and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic clove peeled
- 2 bay leaf
- 5 quarts water cold
Instructions
Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry
- Place the chicken in a large stockpot add all the ingredients Bring to a quick short boil, reduce heat to a low and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, Skimming off any foam that rises to the top.5 lb whole chicken, 2 carrot, 4 celery stalks, 2 garlic clove, 2 bay leaf, 5 quarts water
- Remove chicken from the stock set aside to cool. Remove meat from chicken and set aside
- Place chicken carcass (including any wing bones or leg bones) back to stock and continue to simmer the stock for an additional 45 minutes skimming occasionally.
Strain the stock
- Strain the stock through a fine strainer and discard the solids. Stock can be used immediately or can be kept chilled or frozen.
Chef Notes
- Using a whole chicken produces the cleanest-tasting stock, with the most intense chicken flavor.
- Chill pulled chicken meat
- Chicken meat can be used for for salads, sandwiches, etc
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate