I don't know about many other families, but in our household, we go through a lot of chicken stock. That is, when we can spend the $3.00 per quart at the grocery store for it. So, for us anyways, canning chicken stock is a good idea. One twelve quart stock pot of simmering chicken makes approximately nine full quarts of prepared chicken stock.
To begin, you will need to prepare your chicken. I usually use the chicken quarters when they go on sale. Put the chicken in a stock pot then add some carrots, one good sized onion, chopped, a little diced garlic (about two or three cloves for the twelve quart pot), and then fully cover the chicken with water, up to about three inches from the rim of the pot. Turn it on simmer and let it sit and cook for about eight hours. I usually start mine at night. After the eight hours, or in the morning, add about three bay leaves, salt and pepper, and any other seasonings that you may like. I, personally, like to add rosemary and sage. Let it simmer for another six to eight hours. By then, your stock should look like this:
Yummy, right? :-)
Now you will need to set the stock off of the heat element and start preparing your jars and pressure canner. I fill the jars with water and set them in the canner while I am filling it up with HOT water in order to get an accurate measurement of how much water I need.
You want the water to come up over the tops of the jars about three inches, unless your pressure canner users guide suggests something different.
Remove the jars, dump the water from the jars in the sink, and set your pressure canner on the stove and turn it on to high to heat up. Then put your lids in HOT water to soak while they wait to be used.Caution: do not put them in boiling water or it could break down the seal.
Put another pot on the stove to heat up the jars that you will be pouring the stock into for canning. **Pouring hot liquid into a cold container could cause even tempered glass to shatter.**
Then, it's back to the stock. Get a strainer with fairly small holes and set it on top of another stock pot and pour your stock through it. The strainer will catch the large chunks and the chicken, and your strained stock will go through to the bottom can to be prepared for canning. BE CAREFUL, IT WILL BE H-O-T!! Wear oven mits and everything!
Skim as much of the fat off of the top of the stock as you can.
(Another option would be to put in in the refrigerator overnight and let the fat solidify, then skim it off and reheat the stock for canning.)
Once skimmed, pour the stock into the heated jars and use a non-reactive utensil, like a popsicle stick, to remove any bubbles.
OPTIONAL: Get a handsome handy helper to assist in the operation. ;-)
Gently lower the jars into the pressure canner when it is almost boiling.
And secure the lid on top. **MAKE SURE it is on correctly and securely!! If it isn't the pressure could blow the top off, literally!!**
Place the pressure regulator on top and let it heat up until the pressure guage registers eleven pounds of pressure.
Then lower the heat on your stovetop element to regulate the pressure and start your timer. Let it sit at eleven pounds for twenty minutes for pints, and twenty-five minutes for quarts.
Then, remove the pressure canner from the heat and let it sit to de-pressurize. **DO NOT force de-pressurize, or it could result in jar breakage!** This part could take a while, so go watch a movie or something. :-)
After the pressure gauge reads zero, tilt the pressure regulator and let it sit for about ten more minutes. Make sure the little pressure button (the air vent/cover lock) is down before attempting removal.
Remove the lid slowly and carefully, making sure to tilt it away from you as you open it. **STEAM WILL BE HOT!!**
Remove the jars carefully, I use a jar lifter so I don't drop any jars, and set them on a towel on top of the counter. **Setting the jars directly on the counter can cause them to break.**
Let them set for 24 hours to let all the bubbles escape and let the seal set, then label and store! :-)
To begin, you will need to prepare your chicken. I usually use the chicken quarters when they go on sale. Put the chicken in a stock pot then add some carrots, one good sized onion, chopped, a little diced garlic (about two or three cloves for the twelve quart pot), and then fully cover the chicken with water, up to about three inches from the rim of the pot. Turn it on simmer and let it sit and cook for about eight hours. I usually start mine at night. After the eight hours, or in the morning, add about three bay leaves, salt and pepper, and any other seasonings that you may like. I, personally, like to add rosemary and sage. Let it simmer for another six to eight hours. By then, your stock should look like this:
Yummy, right? :-)
Now you will need to set the stock off of the heat element and start preparing your jars and pressure canner. I fill the jars with water and set them in the canner while I am filling it up with HOT water in order to get an accurate measurement of how much water I need.
You want the water to come up over the tops of the jars about three inches, unless your pressure canner users guide suggests something different.
Remove the jars, dump the water from the jars in the sink, and set your pressure canner on the stove and turn it on to high to heat up. Then put your lids in HOT water to soak while they wait to be used.Caution: do not put them in boiling water or it could break down the seal.
Put another pot on the stove to heat up the jars that you will be pouring the stock into for canning. **Pouring hot liquid into a cold container could cause even tempered glass to shatter.**
Then, it's back to the stock. Get a strainer with fairly small holes and set it on top of another stock pot and pour your stock through it. The strainer will catch the large chunks and the chicken, and your strained stock will go through to the bottom can to be prepared for canning. BE CAREFUL, IT WILL BE H-O-T!! Wear oven mits and everything!
Skim as much of the fat off of the top of the stock as you can.
(Another option would be to put in in the refrigerator overnight and let the fat solidify, then skim it off and reheat the stock for canning.)
Once skimmed, pour the stock into the heated jars and use a non-reactive utensil, like a popsicle stick, to remove any bubbles.
OPTIONAL: Get a handsome handy helper to assist in the operation. ;-)
Gently lower the jars into the pressure canner when it is almost boiling.
And secure the lid on top. **MAKE SURE it is on correctly and securely!! If it isn't the pressure could blow the top off, literally!!**
Place the pressure regulator on top and let it heat up until the pressure guage registers eleven pounds of pressure.
Then lower the heat on your stovetop element to regulate the pressure and start your timer. Let it sit at eleven pounds for twenty minutes for pints, and twenty-five minutes for quarts.
Then, remove the pressure canner from the heat and let it sit to de-pressurize. **DO NOT force de-pressurize, or it could result in jar breakage!** This part could take a while, so go watch a movie or something. :-)
After the pressure gauge reads zero, tilt the pressure regulator and let it sit for about ten more minutes. Make sure the little pressure button (the air vent/cover lock) is down before attempting removal.
Remove the lid slowly and carefully, making sure to tilt it away from you as you open it. **STEAM WILL BE HOT!!**
Remove the jars carefully, I use a jar lifter so I don't drop any jars, and set them on a towel on top of the counter. **Setting the jars directly on the counter can cause them to break.**
Let them set for 24 hours to let all the bubbles escape and let the seal set, then label and store! :-)
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