I’ve always heard that making your own chicken stock was easy enough to do, but I never really had that drive to test it out for myself. As soon as it starts feeling like summer outside, I stop cooking anything that I need to simmer on the stove for hours, because it really heats up the house! So partially due to other factors, but mostly due to my own laziness, homemade chicken stock just wasn’t really on my radar. Until quite recently, that is!
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I was perusing around online when I stumbled across instructions for making homemade vegetable stock in an Instant Pot. A lightbulb went off in my brain as soon as I saw it! Making stock in my Instant Pot would solve the heat issue, and it would be quicker than the stovetop method, too. So with this new “lazy” method in mind, I resolved to give it a try. And it turned out better than I could have hoped for!
Read More: 25+ Instant Pot Recipes That Are Absolutely Delicious
In case you need an extra nudge toward making your own stock as well, consider that homemade vegetable and chicken stocks are often more nutritious than the store-bought varieties. And they’re ultimately cheaper, because you can veggies you already have, or the scrap bits you would usually throw away. And homemade chicken stock (often called “bone broth” in some circles) is packed with good vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Are you convinced yet? Well then let’s get started!
Instant Pot Vegetable Stock
Ingredients:
- 8 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 whole peppercorns
- 6 sprigs fresh parsley
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Other vegetables, as desired
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
Directions:
Start by cleaning and processing your vegetables. The veggies and herbs listed above will yield a good basic stock, but you can add other vegetables depending on what you have access to! Roughly chop larger veggies into big chunks.
Pour the water into your Instant Pot, then add all your chopped veggies and herbs. (Don’t add the salt just yet.)
Place the lid on the pot. Select the “Soup” function, then select the 30 minute timer option.
When the timer goes off, hit “Cancel” to start the depressurization process. Allow the pressure to release naturally, which should take between 15 and 20 minutes.
Finally, remove the lid and use a large slotted spoon to remove the solids from the stock, or pour the whole mixture through a strainer. Season with salt to taste, if desired. (Or you could leave the stock unsalted and just add as necessary to your recipes.)
Pour the finished stock into an airtight container, and store in your fridge for up to a week (or freeze for longer-term storage).
Make these recipes with your veggie stock:
Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Ingredients:
- 8 cups water
- 1 chicken carcass
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1-2 carrots, chopped
- 1-2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 10-15 whole peppercorns
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
Directions:
Start by selecting the “Saute” function on your Instant Pot. Place the chicken carcass into the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the exterior is browned and pieces begin sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then press the cancel button to turn off the heat.
After browning the carcass, follow the same steps outlined in the directions for the vegetable broth, listed above. Once the broth is done cooking, strain out the solids and store it in an airtight container.
Read More: The Cheat Sheet Every Instant Pot Owner Needs!
Make these recipes with your tasty homemade chicken stock:
How many times can you use the chicken bones? I usually make my broth in a slow cooker. I cook bones and veggies on high for 3 hours and drain all the broth then refill the the pot with water and more ACV and then cook it for another 24hours on low. Then I collect all the broth from that. Could I do two pulls on the bones using my instant pot?
It wouldn’t work very well – most of the flavor comes from the fatty bits and marrow that loosen and release into the broth. There won’t be much left after the first go! :-)
Collect veggie scraps in the freezer so you’ll have them handy for soup stock. Freeze the stock for later. I often use the frozen stock in a cooler I take to our remote cabin. When it’s no longer needed as ice, I make soup (especially on a cool, rainy weekend).
I saw a recipe for making veggie stock from scraps and it turned out great. For your IP recipe, how many cups of Veggie scraps would you use? My children are all Vegan now so I try to share cost saving recipes for them. They use a lot of Veggie broth.
Just save all your veggie scraps (you can store them in the freezer if you takes a while), and make stock as soon as you have enough – I would want to fill a gallon sized ziplock bag first, but the amount doesn’t need to be very precise. :-)
I like this recipe
this is great.
On the Insta pot. I’m not sure which brand my folks have. I’d seen the one they have had gotten a good review from good housekeeping. They bought it at Walmart for $ 60.00 which is cheaper than most of models available.
After straining, I pour into metal bowls and leave in refrigerator for at least 24 hours and then remove the solid fat (plenty of it) and freeze it all in glass containers. I’m always pulling broth from my freezer to use when reheating, sauteeing, or making quinoa/millet/wheatberries. I also buy marrow bones to add to the stock.
A dietican gave me this tip: save leftover bits of fresh herbs and veggies in a Ziploc bag in the freezer, and then put it in the crock pot overnight, The tops of peppers, and the base of a stalk of celery, the ends of squash etc.
I make my dog’s food, boil 10 lbs of leg quarters, bone it and add brown rice and green beans. I put the bones back into the “stock” I cooked the chicken in, add a few extras if I have them and let it just barely simmer for two days. I strain it and freeze it in ice cube trays, then use it the next time I make his food…I love thinking I’m doing something good for the little feller :) Thanks for sharing all your hard work, yer my hero! :)
I need a home made solution for a degreaser. Kitchen towels are mess, stained and icky. Any ideas?