Made From Scratch: 15 Minute Chicken Stock in a Pressure Cooker
- 3 chicken carcasses
- Water
- Any trimmings or tops from vegetables (this works without them too)
Vegetables and herbs to add: carrot, onion, celery, corn, garlic, leeks (make sure to wash out dirt from leeks), tarragon, parsley, rosemary, thyme or lemon thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, sage.
Step 1 - Place the chicken carcasses in the pressure cooker (making sure that they don't exceed the maximum level - if they do, flatten them down). Cover with water (cold or hot, hot is quicker) and then add in whatever vegetable trimmings you have.
Step 2 - Put the pressure cooker on medium pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Release the steam and remove the carcasses from the water-the meat still on the bones makes fantastic chicken sandwiches and I get about a whole takeaway container's worth from the three carcasses (although it is time consuming taking the meat off the bones).
Step 3 - Cool and then refrigerate or freeze (freeze in plastic containers rather than glass). I find it easier to skim the fat off the top once it is cold. Having a layer of fat also protects the stock while cooling. You can leave the fat on particularly if you are keeping the stock in the fridge for a few days as this prevents air from getting to the stock and it spoiling.