For years I have used homemade chicken broth and stock for cooking. It’s convenient, it’s low-stakes and I found some pretty good store-bought brands over the years.
But this past fall I thought I’d revisit making my own chicken stock at home just to see if I really could tell the difference. And I am here to report, I can really tell the difference!
(Photographed above is my Chicken Pot Pie soup which I did make using my homemade stock!)
Why Roasted Chicken Stock Is Your Secret Weapon
Roasting the bones before simmering them builds layers of flavor you simply cannot replicate with boxed broth. The caramelization, the depth, the subtly sweet richness…it all turns into a golden elixir that elevates everything it touches.
Think of it like foundation under makeup: no one sees it, but everyone sees the difference!
Use it in:
- Any soup where you want luxurious depth
- Creamy sauces and gravies
- Rice or risotto (a must, trust me)
- Braises and stews
- Casseroles that need a little more oomph
It’s like adding a restaurant’s secret handshake to your home cooking.
Stock vs. Broth: Why You Should Reach for Stock
I’m going to break this down so you can evangelize about this at the grocery store to unsuspecting strangers (optional, but recommended) 🥹
1. Stock = Bones. Broth = Meat.
This is the core difference.
- Stock is made by simmering bones, often roasted, with aromatics.
- Broth is made by simmering meat.
2. Stock Is Richer, Thicker, and More Luxurious
Bones contain collagen, and as they simmer low and slow, that collagen melts into the liquid, giving stock its signature body: silky, glossy, almost velvet-like.
Broth? Lovely, but thinner. Lighter. More of a polite guest than the main event.
3. Stock Is Meant to Build With
Think of stock as a structural ingredient, it’s designed to be cooked into something else.
Broth is more of a sip-able, already-seasoned base.
If you want your:
- soups to taste deeper
- sauces to cling just right
- casseroles to have that rich, from-scratch magic
…you want stock.
4. Stock Is the Most Forgiving Ingredient You Can Make
Unlike bread dough or caramel or literally anything involving tempering chocolate, stock asks almost nothing from you except time and a gentle simmer (or pressing a button).
The return on investment? Immense.
First, anytime I plan to have a rotisserie chicken, or whole roasted chicken (or in this case I’m using my leftover bone-in Turkey breast) I also plan to make stock or I freeze the carcass until I can use it.
I use the normal veg: onions, celery, carrots, garlic…but roasted! This really is where I can tell a flavor difference.
There was some meat left on our turkey and that is ok because, more flavor.
I leave the skins on everything, the onions, carrots and garlic! It comes out looking so golden brown (and bonus, your house will smell amazing!).
And then I literally just throw it all into the InstantPot. I find the InstantPot the simplest and quickest method, but I have the method for stove top below as well.
Look at the color of my stock!! This is what I am talking about. It is rich and so flavorful!
After it cools I pour it into my 2 cup and 1 cup SouperCubes. I label it and put it into the freezer.
When I make my stock, I usually plan to make soup that evening for dinner. This night we had my Chicken (or Turkey) Pot Pie soup. It was the best version of this recipe I’ve ever made and I knew it was due to the roasted stock.
Are you going to give this homemade stock a try?!
Print“What’s the Secret?!” Roasted Stock
- Yield: 12 cups 1x
- Category: soups broths
Ingredients
2–3 lbs chicken bones/carcass (drumsticks, wings, or leftover roast/rotisserie bones)
1 large onion, quartered (you can leave the skin on for a golden color)
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks with leaves
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled and smashed
1 bay leaf
8–10 black peppercorns
4–5 sprigs thyme
2 tsp kosher salt*
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (this helps extract nutrients from the bones, you will not taste the ACV in your stock!)
12 cups water (or enough to just cover, but don’t go past Instant Pot “Max Fill” line!!)
OPTIONAL
Rind of parmesan (if you have it, throw it in!)
1 oz dried mushrooms (for extra umami)
Instructions
Step 1: Roast the Bones & Veg
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Wrap the garlic in foil. On a baking sheet lined with foil and lightly oiled, spread out the bones, onion, carrot, garlic pouch, and celery.
Roast for 30-40 minutes, turning once, until bones are browned and aromatic.
Step 2: Pressure Cooker Method (Instant Pot)
Transfer roasted bones & veg to Instant Pot (IP). Unwrap garlic and also add to the IP.
Add bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, apple cider vinegar, salt and water. (Here you can also add the Parmesan rind and dried mushrooms if you have them.)
Seal lid, set to High Pressure 45–50 minutes.
Allow natural release (20–30 min).
Strain through a fine mesh sieve, cool, and store.
Homemade Chicken Stock on the Stove Top
(See above for ingredients and follow Step 1 to roast the bones and veg.)
Transfer roasted bones & veg to a stockpot.
Add bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, apple cider vinegar, salt and water. (Here you can also add the Parmesan rind and dried mushrooms if you have them.)
Bring to a gentle simmer (not boil). Skim foam in first 20 min.
Simmer 4-6 hours (longer = richer). The key is to keep the bones covered in water, add water as needed throughout cooking to keep them covered.
Strain, cool, and store.
How to Store
Fridge: up to 5 days.
Freezer: up to 6 months.
For the freezer, I like to divide it into 1 and 2 cup portions using my Souper Cubes.
Label with date + “Roasted Chicken Stock”
Notes
*Fun fact: while store-bought chicken stock generally is salted, homemade stock is not. It is supposed to be salted as you use it.
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