Homemade Chicken Broth
Serves: 5
Callie Medhurst
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
61
Spice
51
Sweetness
49
Sourness
38
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.1
Difficulty
Ingredients:
Directions:
1
Put the chicken, onions, and red pepper in a large stockpot
2
(Mine is 16 quarts
3
) Rinse the garlic heads in cold water, then peel off the papery skin
4
Break the garlic head into individual cloves
5
Rinse and cut the roots off the cilantro
6
Cut a piece of cheesecloth the size of a kitchen towel
7
Put the garlic cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, achiote seeds and cilantro on the cheesecloth, bring the ends together to make a little pouch, and tie the loosely with kitchen twine
8
Give the pouch a couple of good whacks with your kitchen mallet, and add it to the pot
9
Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by at least 2 to 3 inches
10
Drop in the ham hock, if using
11
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming foam off of the top as it forms
12
When the water comes to a boil, adjust the heat so the broth cooks at a steady, but not rolling boil
13
Cook for 30 minutes
14
Check to make sure the breasts are cooked through, then remove them from the pan
15
Cook 15 minutes more, then remove the legs and thighs
16
Set the chicken aside to make another chicken dish
17
(If you're using backs, necks, wings, etc
18
, you don't have to remove anything
19
) Leave the backs, necks and wings in to further flavor the broth
20
Cook for 1 hour
21
Set a strainer over a large bowl and line the strainer with a couple of layers of cheesecloth
22
Carefully strain the broth through the cheesecloth
23
(Ladling it is the easiest and safest way
24
) Add salt, to taste, and let cool before refrigerating