Homemade Chicken Broth

Homemade Chicken Broth

I make this when I have time to save money and build up food storage that is Hannah safe food.  I purchase whole chickens 2 at a time from the store.  To make more for canning, I will get two pots going with 4 total chickens.  You can use fresh butchered chickens from the backyard too.  I've done that before, though that definitely takes more time!

2 chicken necks, backs, & wings

2-3 large carrots

2-3 stalks celery and leaves  (I like to use the "heart" of the celery still where the stalks are smaller and more leafy after I've used the larger crunchy stalks for other things)

1 medium onion

1 T. parsely or 1 sprig fresh parsley

1-2 tsp salt, depending on how much water you add

1/2 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 bay leaves

8 cups water

Put the chicken pieces in a very large (4 qt ?) pot.  Don't bother to peel the carrots or onion.  Chop carrots into chunks.  Cut the base off the celery and throw leafy stalks.  Snap the bigger stalks into pieces if using the outer stalks.  Quarter the onion.  Toss all this into the pot with the chicken.  Add parsley, salt, sage, pepper and bay leaves.  Fill the pot with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for minimum of 2 hours.  Using tongs and a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and vegetable pieces, discard.  Set a strainer over a large bowl (8 cups?).  You can do 1 of 3 things: line the strainer with cheesecloth or an old clean thread bare dish towel, or use a fine mesh strainer.  Carefully poor the broth from the pot through the strainer.  Allow to cool down a bit.  I then put my chicken broth in the fridge overnight.  The fat will rise to the top and solidify.  I use a pancake spatula to skim the solidified chicken fat from the broth and discard it.  The broth turns to a jelly like substance at this temperature.  You can store the broth in the fridge and use it within 3 days.  Or you can pour the broth in 2 cup measures into labeled freezer ziplock bags.  Lay flat when you put them in the freezer.  Once frozen, they stack nicely.  Use within 6 months.  Or, you can sterilize pint jars and lids and rings.  Heat the broth to a boil and fill the jars, leaving 1" space at the top.  Wipe the rims, screw down the lids with bands and process in a pressure canner.  I use a dial gauge, less than 2,000 feet altitude 11 lbs pressure 20 min. for the pints.  If you are under different circumstances you can check out the instructions at http://www.gopresto.com/recipes/canning/soups.php