Chicken Stock (Chicken Bone Broth) 3 Ways!

*Roast the Bones (for all methods):

1. If using bones from a cooked chicken or turkey, skip this step. Place bones on a lined rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400˚F for 20 minutes.

Stovetop Method (15 hours simmering):

1. Place roasted bones and any accumulated pan juices into your 8 qt stock pot. Add 16 cups (or 4 Qts) filtered water along with 1 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim off impurities that rise to the top. Cover and simmer on low heat 6 hrs then add onion, celery, carrots, 2 smashed garlic cloves and 1 bay leaf.
2. Continue cooking on a low simmer another 9 hrs for a total of 15 hrs simmering time. You can turn it off overnight if needed and continue the following day. Be careful not to bring it to a hard boil or the broth will look foggy.

Slow Cooker Method (15 hours on low):

1. Place roasted bones and any accumulated pan juices into 6 Qt Slow Cooker. Add 12 cups warm or hot water along with 1 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Set to low heat for 15 hrs.
2. After 6 hours on low heat, add onion, celery, carrots, 2 smashed garlic cloves and 1 bay leaf. Continue cooking on low simmer another 9 hrs for a total of 15 hours cooking time. You can let it go longer if needed overnight and strain the next day.

Instant Pot Method (2 hours pressure cooked):

1. Place roasting bones and accumulated pan juices into a 6Qt instant pot.
2. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, 1 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp salt.
3. Add 10-11 cups water or until you reach the 2/3 max fill line in the pot.
4. Select soup/broth and set the time to 2 hours (120 minutes). It will warm up then cook on high pressure for 2 hours (120 min). When cooking is complete, wait 30 min to naturally depressurize then release pressure (use an oven mitt for safety in case it sputters).

How to Strain and Store Chicken Stock:

1. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a second pot, extracting as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Cool strained stock to room temp then cover and refrigerate.
2. The following day, it will thicken and you can scrape the fat off the top and continue to store in the fridge for 3-5 days or transfer to freezer safe containers and freeze up to 3 months (if freezing, leave space in containers for expansion).