Carrageenan Free Classic Chicken Stock
A rich, golden chicken stock built from scratch is one of those kitchen fundamentals that makes everything else taste better — soups, braises, risottos, pan sauces, you name it. Store-bought broths and cartons are a minefield for anyone avoiding carrageenan, since that additive turns up regularly as a stabilizer or thickener in commercial products. Making your own means you know exactly what went into the pot: chicken bones, aromatics, fresh herbs, and cold water — nothing more. The blanching step at the start is a small but smart move that pulls out impurities early, so the finished stock comes out beautifully clear and clean-tasting rather than murky. A long, lazy simmer with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, tomato paste, and a bundle of thyme and parsley coaxes out deep, layered flavor that no carton can replicate. Straining it through a fine-mesh sieve and chilling it overnight lets you lift off the fat cap easily, leaving you with a silky, concentrated stock ready to use or freeze in batches. Once you have a supply of this in your freezer, you'll wonder how you ever cooked without it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 3 lb chicken bones and carcass (or a whole 3–4 lb chicken, cut into pieces)
- 2 medium yellow onions, quartered (skin on)
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 12 cups cold water
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain and rinse the bones under cold running water to remove any grey foam or impurities. Rinse the pot clean.
- 2
Return the blanched bones to the clean pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and salt. Pour in the 12 cups of cold water — the water should cover the bones by at least 1 inch; add more if needed.
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