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One of my favorite ways to stretch every bit of our homegrown meat birds is by making homemade chicken stock. Around here, nothing goes to waste if I can help it. After processing day (you can read all about that here), I save the necks, wing tips, and feet because they make the richest, most nourishing stock.
Around here, making stock is just part of the process and one more step in making sure nothing goes to waste.
Save the Scraps
When we process our chickens, I keep a food-grade bucket nearby and toss in all the stock-worthy pieces:
- Chicken necks
- Wing tips
- Chicken feet
These are liquid gold for making broth.
The feet especially are packed with collagen, which gives your stock that beautiful rich texture and all the good stuff your body loves.
If you’re new to using chicken feet, don’t overthink it. Toss them in. They do the work.
My “Use What You Have” Method
I’m not fancy when it comes to stock, and that’s the beauty of it.
This time around, I used my big 24-quart stock pot because I had quite a bit saved up. But sometimes I’ll use my slow cooker, my Dutch oven, or even run two pots at the same time if I have a lot to work through.
There’s no perfect system here, just use what works for your kitchen.
This batch got:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onions
- Garlic
I simply throw in whatever I have on hand.
Sometimes I add a splash of apple cider vinegar, sometimes I don’t. This time I did. Some people swear by it because it helps pull nutrients from the bones, but truthfully, homemade stock is one of those things you can make your own.
There’s no wrong way.
Let It Simmer
Once everything is in the pot, I top it off with enough water to fully cover everything.
Then comes the easy part.
I let it simmer low and slow for 24 hours.
That long cook time gives the stock a deep, rich flavor and pulls every bit of goodness out of those bones and scraps.
And yes, your house will smell amazing.
Straining the Stock
After 24 hours, I strain everything through cheesecloth to catch the little bits, leaving me with a smooth, beautiful stock.
And because we’re on a homestead and the dogs know when good things are happening, I save the cooked carrots and give them to them as a treat.
Why not?
They love them.
Freezing for Later
Our chicken stock always goes straight into the freezer.
I like to portion mine into 3-cup servings because that works well for most of our recipes: soups, stews, gravies, and even cooking rice.
But again, do what works for you.
This batch gave us 20 bags of stock with 3 cups in each, which feels like such a win after processing.
To seal them up, we use our chamber vacuum sealer and freezer bags to keep everything sealed tight in the freezer. It makes storing homemade stock so much easier and keeps freezer burn away. I’ll link the exact sealer and bags we use below, and if you’ve been thinking about getting one, you can use my code PatriotStreetHomestead for 10% off.
Why We Always Keep Stock on Hand
Homemade chicken stock is one of those simple things that makes homestead cooking easier.
It turns scraps into nourishment.
It fills the freezer for the months ahead.
And on busy nights or sick days, having homemade stock ready to go feels like a gift from your past self.
That’s one of the best parts of homesteading: doing the work now so your future family meals are a little easier.
And if the dogs get the leftover carrots?
Well, that just feels fair.
From our homestead to yours,
Eliza
