Chicken Stock

As we head into winter with all the illnesses and stresses we get hit with it's when I start to think ahead for little things I can do to make healthy and nourishing meal ahead of time.   One thing I've done for years is use an and all bones to make stock with.
I save pork chop bones, steak bones, chicken wing bones, chicken and turkey carcass, everything.   I have gallon ziploc bags ready to hold wilted lettuce, onions peals, apple cores, wimpy spinach, kale stems.    When I'm ready I get out my big stock pot add all the bones and veggies i've set aside then add in whatever else I may need.   This simmers for 2 days before I strain then freeze it.  

Well that is what I USED to do!  Now I have an instantpot and life just got easier plus less electricity use.  
Here's the simple Chicken broth recipe.  If you don't have chicken bones around, luckily we still have some at the farmstore so come get them while they are around.  

1 onion- cut into 8 or so wedges then those cut in half.
3 celetry stalks with leaves, chopped up
2 carrots, chopped up
1-2 bay leaves
a spash of raw cider vinegar or red wine vinegar or some wine!
4 quarts of water
1 chicken carcass or equivalent bones.   If using raw uncooked bones, thaw then briefly roast for about 1/2 hour at 350F to brown the bones and create more flavor.

All this goes in the slow cooker on low for minimum of 12 hours, it's better if it's 24.   I often let it go all night.  
If using the instant pot cover the ingredients with water .   It may only use 3 quarts not the 4 for the simmering recipe.   Set it to the soup setting for 70 minutes.
Strain and put in portion size containers.   Refrigerate and use soon or freeze in portion containers for later use.  
This makes life easy to pull it out for making soups, in rice or base for chicken pot pie or just warm cups to sip.  
Also can be done the same for beef broth just make sure to brown the beef bones in the oven before starting the broth  350F for about 1/2 hour or until nice and browned.

You can add in all sorts of vegetable scraps to your broth and add even more variety of flavor.