Home Made Chicken or Vegetable Stock [ Dairy free, Gluten free, Grain free, Sugar free]

This is the recipe I use for both my chicken or vegetable stock - I omit the chicken if making a veggie stock and add other flavoursome vegetable sometimes including tomato which adds a richer taste to the stock.

I started cooking before puberty, under the watchful guidance of my dearest, now departed, maternal grandmother who never used store bought stock or stock cubes.  Hers were made similar to this recipe with possibly cloves and cinnamon sticks to bring out a stronger flavour.  I have in all probability used store bought stock cubes or powder not more than 10 times in all my approximately 32 cooking years.  Embarking on a lifestyle change 10 months ago raised my awareness in the ingredients lurking in processed stock cubes, powders and liquid stock - the gluten, sugar and stabilizer content in the stock negates the healthy cooking in one quick scoop of just a teaspoon of these - hardly worth the time-saving efforts and convenience.

Stock may be made overnight in a slow cooker, and as the recipe below shows, totally effortless in preparing and getting on the go.  I blogged my Lamb Broth recipe which is truly worth the effort, a nourishing and fabulous tasting  full-bodied additive to soups and casseroles and one I use time and time again - which stores very well in cooking quantity portions in the freezer,  ensuring that I always have stock on hand for when I need it.

Ingredients

2.5kg chicken bone on, disjointed and if preferred skin off
4 stems celery with leaves, chopped
1 large onion cut into chunks
2-3 carrots cut into rounds
2 tsp lemon pepper or coarsely ground black pepper
2 tsp fresh thyme
Dried or fresh herbs as desired
Enough water to cover the chicken pieces
Optional:  Himalayan or Sea Salt to taste

Here's How

• Combine all of the above in a large pot and boil until chicken is cooked.

• Remove meat from the bones, cut into strips and use as desired.
• Strain the stock and set aside for later use.