Making your own chicken stock is economical, and a good way to make use of scraps or pieces and inexpensive vegetables, but that’s not all. Your homemade chicken stock will be far more flavorful than any of the commercial stuff you can buy in a can or box. In this video, MOTHER EARTH NEWS Senior Associate Editor Robin Mather will show you the difference between a lightly-flavored broth and a richer, more complex stock. You’ll see why you shouldn’t season stock while it’s cooking, especially if you plan to reduce it to concentrate its flavors even more, and learn some tips on what ingredients to add to give your stock an Asian twist.

Robin will show you how to make a rich, dark brown chicken stock that’s versatile and adds dimension to every dish it enhances. Starting with 6 pounds of assorted chicken parts, a few carrots and ribs of celery and an onion, she takes you step-by-step from beginning to end, and offers some ideas on how to freeze your stock so it takes little space in your freezer. Although freezing stock is easiest, you can also pressure-can stock if you wish. A 1-pint jar is just slightly more than a 14.8-ounce can of chicken broth.

More on Chicken Stock from MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Using Chicken Stock for Braised Onions
Gumbo Recipe for Smoked Andouille Sausage
Recipe for Braised Chicken Thighs with Leeks and Tarragon
Roasted Chicken and Gravy Recipe
Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

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The MOTHER EARTH NEWS staff has been featured in videos covering topics from seed starting to skin toner. Check out our full collection of wiser living videos on our video page.

Robin Mather is a senior associate editor at MOTHER EARTH NEWS and the author of The Feast Nearby, a collection of essays and recipes from her year of eating locally on $40 a week. In her spare time, she is a hand-spinner, knitter, weaver, homebrewer, cheese maker and avid cook who cures her own bacon. Find her on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.