Chicken Broth In A Crock Pot

Winter is the perfect time of year to really build up on your soup and stew recipes. This homemade chicken broth is the PERFECT base to take an already good soup to a whole new level of awesome.

Why you should make your own slow cooker chicken broth

Three simple reasons:

1. It’s nourishing. Chicken broth is full of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, and other minerals, all of which can be easily absorbed in the body. It supports the immune system, heals the digestive system, and some say can even help with arthritis and joint pain.
2. It’s way cheaper than buying organic chicken broth.
3. It’s so easy to make. Especially with the recipe I have posted below!

Homemade chicken broth or stock is often very different from what you buy at the store. Many food industries cut corners and produce an inferior stock, often from animals that are both ill and treated poorly.

Nourishing Crock-Pot Chicken Broth

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken or Frame of 1 roasted chicken (free-range)
• 3 stalks of organic celery 2 bay leaves
• 1 organic onion, cut in half
• 2 Tbsp. raw organic apple cider vinegar
• Filtered water

*Don’t add salt at this point because it can interfere with mineral absorption. Vegetables that are past their prime, but not rotted yet, are usable in this recipe.

Directions:

1. Place chicken and vegetables into a large crock pot. Fill the pot with filtered water, leaving about one inch at the top. Add the apple cider vinegar last. Let this sit at room temperature for one hour. This helps the ACV pull minerals from the bones.
2. Cook the stock on low heat for 12 hours. Check your stock to make sure the water level is still good. Add more water if needed. Cook the stock for another 12 hours (total: 24 hours).
3. Allow your stock to cool and carefully strain it. Either use right away or store for a later day.

Storage and Serving

Freezing stock is my personal favorite method of storage. It will last longer and stay super nutritious and delicious this way. There are a few things you need to remember though, should you choose to freeze your new stock.

Stock will expand when it is frozen. Therefore, be sure to leave enough space in your container for expansion. Otherwise, bad things will happen… (Trust me on this one!)

Also, if you are storing in glass, make sure to allow your stock to cool THOROUGHLY before putting it into the freezer. This will keep the glass from breaking and keep you from losing a jar and losing a finger.

A fun tip: Freeze your stock in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop out of the trays and into the container of your choice. The stock will thaw quicker because of its smaller size. You will also be able to portion out the amount of stock you need for your recipe and reduce waste (especially if you measure how much your ice cube tray holds beforehand).

When serving, don’t forget that your stock is not salted, so season accordingly and enjoy!