Foodie Friday: Homemade Chicken Stock [Slow Cooker]

As the nights draw in and the days are getting closer, the more we seem to eat comfort food; soups with chunky homemade bread, stews with gravy and mashed potato, chicken with tasty sauces and homemade chips. I think as the seasons change, so does our eating patterns. It almost feels like we’re preparing ourselves for the winter, and, if necessary, battle the storms ahead.

 

All of these meals start with one thing: a good, wholesome homemade chicken stock. With a depth of flavour and simple yet effective use, a homemade stock can make a simple dish taste a million times better. Sauces become richer, gravy has a better taste and stews seem to have a new dimension of flavour. With just a few simple ingredients and some time, you can make the most delicious tasting homemade stock that is so much better for you than making one from a stock cube.

 

Homemade Chicken Stock Ingredients:

– leftover chicken skin/bones

– one brown onion, halved

– 2 sticks celery, halved

– 1 carrot, chopped roughly

– 1 potato, sliced into quarters

– 1.5 litres water

 

Now, I put everything into our slow cooker, and set on low for about 8 hours whilst I’m out at work one day. Or, if you prefer, you can chuck everything into a pan and leave to simmer for a couple of hours. Then, strain the stock into a large bowl. Then, separate into containers that contain approx. 500 mls.

 

That’s it! This stock freezes beautifully so if you do not have a use for it immediately, pop the containers in the freezer and use when needed. Just take out of the freezer the day you need to use it, and it should defrost quickly, depending on the heat of your house.

 

Simple, homemade stock that tastes a-ma-zing. And cheap! I usually use veg that’s past it’s best, just so it doesn’t end up being thrown out.

 

Do you make your own stock? Do you add anything else?