Instant Pot Chicken (or Turkey) Stock
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On Friday morning, some of you will be waking up to a very bedraggled turkey carcass staring back at you in the fridge. Some years I just can't be bothered, and I toss it out before my conscience even has a chance to lecture me on wastefulness. But this year, I'm not even thinking twice. Turkey stock is most definitely happening because Instant Pot!!
I realize that not everyone has a pressure cooker, and if not, you can use this "recipe" to make some very beautiful stock stovetop. But if you've got an Instant Pot, you're that much closer to some very awesome stock! Just place all of your stock ingredients in the Instant Pot and add as much water as you're inclined. I put in about 12 cups. Then close the lid, set it to seal and press the manual button for 45 minutes. It will take some time for it to come up to pressure before your 45 minutes even starts; some Instant Pot recipes aren't actually "instant". 😬 It's still going to take a couple of hours, but during that time, you can bathe the dog, rake the yard or catch up on the news of the day. Or maybe not.
Once your broth is done and the pressure has released naturally, place some cheesecloth over a strainer and place this over an appropriately sized pot or bowl. Pour in the stock, letting the cheesecloth catch all of the solids.
You are now the proud owner of several quarts of delicious homemade stock. I like to stash it in the fridge overnight and then pull the fat off of the top before putting it in the freezer.
If you're making gravy and/or stuffing for Thanksgiving, you can do like I did and buy a roasted chicken (I get mine from Costco), pull off the meat (and make some delicious enchiladas), and use the bones to make some awesome stock for some of your Thanksgiving cooking.
And even if you don't get around to making stock before Thanksgiving, this is most definitely what you're going to want to do with your turkey bones. You may never want to buy stock again. Here's the recipe...
Instant Pot Chicken Stock
It still takes a little time to make stock, even with an Instant Pot, but the flavors seem brighter to me than the stovetop method and of course, the Instant Pot makes it all so easy. You can use turkey bones and meat instead of chicken here, which is what I do after the holidays.
Note: 1-4-2019… Lately I’ve been leaving the carrots out of the mix. I’ve decided I don’t really like the sweet note it brings to the broth. Sometimes I only add a half an onion and some thyme and the broth is still incredibly flavorful. And leave the skin on the onion! That’s lots of color and flavor right there.
Click here for a printable recipe
1 4-lb chicken carcass, broken into smaller parts (most of the skin and fat removed)
2 onions, cut into 4ths, root end left in tact
2 large carrots, cut into chunks
3 celery ribs, cut into chunks
4 medium cloves garlic
4 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Combine all ingredients in your Instant Pot and cover with cold water to the 12-cup mark. You can add a little more water if you’d like but do not go above the Max Fill line.
Close the lid and set the valve to Seal. Use the manual button to set it for 45 minutes at high pressure.
Allow the pressure to release naturally, which may take awhile because of the amount of liquid in the pot. But resist the urge to release the pressure manually as it could result in a more cloudy stock.
Place a piece of cheesecloth over a large strainer and place the strainer over a very large bowl or pot. Pour the stock into the strainer and discard the solids in the cheesecloth.
Once the stock is cooled, pour it into your containers and use immediately or freeze. I like to stick it in the fridge to get cold overnight and the take the fat off the top before freezing.
