Chicken Broth Tip

I don't know about you, but I think there is nothing better than homemade chicken broth. You control the seasonings... mainly salt, which I usually choose to put very little in or none at all. I like homemade because I know what goes into it. That, and the better flavor. I thought I'd share how I make my own chicken broth.

First of all, whenever I cook a whole chicken which is not being used for soup or chicken and dumplings, I always make chicken broth. While the chicken is cooking, I add about 6-8 whole black peppercorns. I also toss in a couple of celery stalks broken in half and about 3-4 whole bay leaves. You can add carrots, celery leaves, or just about any vegetable you like, but I prefer a stronger chicken flavor so this is all that I use.

When the chicken is done, remove it carefully from the pot. At this point, I like to strain the broth in a fine colander or strainer. I have one with a handle that sits on the edge of my pot so I can easily strain into another pot. Then I like to boil it down a bit. This isn't necessary... it just makes the flavor a little stronger. When I'm on a tight budget, I don't worry about it because I want to make more broth. Be careful not to reduce it down too much or it becomes like jelly when it's cooled. Probably not bad, I just don't prefer it.

Let the broth cool for a short while until it's cool enough to pour into freezable containers. I sometimes freeze in 1-cup freezer containers like zip-lock, but my favorite way to freeze it is in ice cube trays. I fill the trays with broth, and when they are frozen, I pop them into a doubled zip-lock freezer bag... a bag within a bag. I place an index card with the date and contents in between the two bags so I'll know which to use first.

This is really convenient when you want to flavor a dish like a stir-fry or rice or pasta. Even if you want to add some to a soup or stew. It's nice to add a little or a lot. If I need a lot I usually defrost in the microwave before using. I have measured with my own trays and found that 9 cubes = 1 cup of broth. Makes it easy. Double check your own trays as they may be different.

So... that is my tip for the day. I hope you find it as useful as I do. If not, maybe I'll have something for you later. If you keep checking, I'll keep trying!

Thanks for reading!
Mary Ann :)