Pressure canning chicken stock is a great way to always have homemade stock on hand.  Before I bought my pressure canner I would store stock in Mason jars in my garage deep freezer.  However, space is at a premium as my freezer is already bursting at the seams.  I love having stock on hand, but I was running out of space.

Canning is a great option because you can store your stock in the pantry.  You must use a pressure canner to can chicken stock.  You cannot use a pressure cooker or the water bath canning method to do this job.  For those wondering, I bought my pressure canner at Amazon.  It isn’t the most expensive one, I really love it, and it gets great reviews.  Link to my canner here.

**Recipe tip, whenever you have a chicken carcass just put it in a freezer storage bag and put in the freezer.  That way when you are ready to make stock you always have a carcass at the ready.

Chicken Stock & Canning Recipes

1 large chicken carcass

4 quarts water

2 bay leaves

Salt to taste, optional but not necessary to the canning process

Place carcass bones and bay leaves in a large pot.  Add water and ensure it covers everything.  Cover and simmer 45 minutes to one hour.  Strain broth through fine mesh colander or chinoise.  Fill jars with clear stock, leaving one inch headspace.  Wipe jar tops and adjust lids.

Process at 11 lbs pressure.  Pints 20 minutes, quarts 25 minutes.  Always check your pressure canner’s instruction guide for processing times may vary from model to model.