I keep this chicken stock on hand. I use it as the base for all of my other soups. I also drink it when I feel that my immune system needs a boost. I have even put it in my daughter’s sippy cup. It is so rich and delicious. This is excellent to sip on in postpartum as it is easy to digest, rich in minerals and will support milk production.
1 5lb chicken carcass (see recipes for Roasted Whole Chicken and Boiled Whole Chicken)
3 large carrots
1 large onion
2 celery stalks
5 garlic cloves
1 stalk lemon grass (optional)
1 tablespoon Celtic sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
Place carcass into a boiling pot. I typically leave out the rib cage here or any part that would have held waste from the bird. I definitely keep all cartilage as this is really great for you. You can also pull this off of the bone and feed to your dog for joint nutrition. I put this all in a pot with 3 large carrots, 1 large onion, 5 garlic cloves, lemon grass if I have it on hand, 1 tablespoon of Celtic sea salt. Can add more later if preferred but you can’t go backwards! I use about 1/2 to 1 whole teaspoon of ground black pepper. I also like to add about 1/2 tsp of turmeric to my recipe for added anti-inflammatory support. I use filtered water and pour over the carcass until it is covered.
Bring this to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let simmer for about 1 hour. Let cool and pour into freezer bags or can. I like to portion it out so that I can pull out a serving at a time. I make some small servings for drinking and some larger servings for soup bases. This makes about 4 quarts of stock. See my recipe for Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Soup.