How I Make Chicken Broth

I strive to do everything as streamlined as possible, and the same way every time so I can fly on autopilot.  This way I am not wasting time and energy.  Here is my new Chicken Broth routine.  Totally doable and easy.

1. Get the crock pot out. 
    I personally leave mine out in the laundry room.  I will have this broth going for more that 24 hours, and I hate to smell it in the middle of the night, so I hide it in the laundry room.  Plus, hubby hates things cluttering up the kitchen.  I am blessed with a small counter space in my laundry room.  My laundry room is my domain.  Notice the cute little curtain and all the green and pink?  You will find this no where else in my house.  Thank you hubby for helping me make a space of my own.  :)  BTW, I do not leave the crock pot on with the curtain closed.  Too scared of fire.  Just closed it for looks.  :)

2. Buy a whole chicken.
    My personal favorite - Costco organic chickens.  Two in a pack for about $20.  But if I can't get to Costco, any chicken will do.  I am called by God to live within my means, so if I can't afford an organic chicken so be it.  I will do my best with what I have, and trust Him to do the rest.

3. Prep the chicken.
    Defrost the chicken if necessary.  Then, put the chicken in the sink and remove the wrapping.  Take out the giblet package.  This contains the neck and some organs.  Yum, yum, these are apparently great for your body, so cut the package open and empty it into the crock pot.  Rinse the chicken inside and out and stuff it into the pot.  I stay stuff, because it really is stuffed into my small pot.  Hopefully, someday I will have a bigger one.  :)

4. Fill the pot with water and turn it on.
   Cover the chicken.  Leave some room for veggies and simmering bubbles.  Since I am usually doing this sometime in the afternoon, I start the broth on high so the first batch will be done by 8pm or so.

5. Add some veggies.
    My favorites: carrots, onion and garlic.  If you don't have time right away, no worry.  Do it when you can.  BTW, Costco big bag of organic carrots for $5.  What a deal, and a good way to get kids helping in the kitchen--peeling carrots.  Feel free to add some seasoning as well.  Maybe some pepper and salt.  I add salt later when I use the broth.

6. Drain the pot and pull out the meat.
    After a few hours, I just take a big ladle and use it to fill my glass pitcher with broth.  I get as much out of the pot as possible.  Then I take some tongs and try to get out all the meat.  The carcass is totally falling apart by this point, so look out for little bones!  The meat goes straight into a corning ware dish and into my fridge.  This week I will use it in soup and for lunches.  The pitcher of broth also goes into my fridge.

See the broth in the upper right corner?  That is two batches worth.  Chicken meat is in the lower left.

7. Fill the pot with water, turn to low and don't think about it again until the next morning.
    Leave all the bones and veggies in the pot.

8. In the morning, drain the pot again.
   Add the broth to the broth you have already.  Fill the pot again with water, and let is simmer all day.

9. In the evening, drain the pot again.
    I now have enough broth for the week.  One cup each morning, and some for soup.  I have read that the broth will last one week in the fridge, and I tested this last week with no ill side-effects.  However, feel free to freeze some and defrost it mid-week.  Especially if you have a small family and a big crock pot.  This is also good to do if there's no way your kids and hubby are going to drink broth.  :)

10. Dump the remains and clean the pot.
      Let everything cool before you throw it in the trash.  :)