Making your own stock can seem a challenge, especially when time is short. Using a pressure cooker, however, can produce a rich, flavorful broth in a fraction of the time. Here’s how to make a successful chicken broth, while avoiding common mistakes.

1. Prepare ingredients

A successful broth begins with a careful selection of ingredients:

  • Chicken or turkey: Use carcasses, wings, thighs or bones, with or without meat.
  • Classic vegetables: carrots, celery, onions.
  • Herbs and spices: bay leaves, thyme, parsley, rosemary, sage, black peppercorns, garlic cloves.
  • Cold water: Enough to cover the ingredients (but do not exceed the pressure cooker’s maximum fill line).
  • Salt : Be careful not to over-salt, as the broth will reduce during cooking.

2. Optional step: Roast bones and vegetables

Colour bones and vegetables before cooking:

  • Place the bones and vegetables on a baking tray and bake at 200°C for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • This optional step caramelizes the natural sugars and adds more flavor to the broth.

3. Add ingredients to pressure cooker

  • Place the bones or carcass in the bowl.
  • Add the coarsely chopped vegetables.
  • Add herbs and spices.
  • Pour in cold water until the ingredients are covered, but do not overflow the container.

4. Programming the pressure cooker

  • Select Soup/Broth or Manual (pressure cooking) mode.
  • Set the time to 30 to 45 minutes for a light broth, or 1 to 2 hours for a rich, flavorful broth.
  • Make sure the valve is in the sealed position to maintain pressure.

5. Release pressure

  • Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10-15 minutes after the end of the cycle.
  • Then manually release residual pressure by carefully turning the valve.

6. Filter the broth

  • Strain the broth through a colander to remove the solids.
  • Use a cheesecloth or clean tea towel for optimum clarification.

7. Cool and store

  • Quickly cool the broth by placing the container in a water bath with ice.
  • Once cooled, remove the layer of solidified grease from the surface.
  • Store broth in airtight containers:
    • Refrigerator: Up to 3 to 5 days.
    • Freezer: Up to 3 months (you can freeze portions in ice cube trays for easy later use).

Tips for optimizing your broth

  1. Taste before salting: Adjust seasoning only after cooking. It’s easier to adjust the seasoning than to dilute an over-salted broth. See article How to save a sauce that’s too salty
  2. Add vinegar: Add a little white or cider vinegar to extract more minerals from the bones.
  3. Don’t overload the tank: Water needs room to circulate and extract flavors efficiently. What’s more, boiling liquid can cause the pressure cooker valve to overflow.
  4. Reuse the bones: For a second broth, put the bones back in the pressure cooker with fresh vegetables and repeat (the result will be lighter but just as tasty).

Culinary ideas

  • Homemade soup (chicken noodle, vegetable soup).
  • Base for sauces (velouté, juices).
  • Cooking liquid for rice or cereals.
  • Comforting drink.

Using a pressure cooker means you can quickly and easily make a tasty broth. Turn leftover poultry into an aromatic base for later use. Happy bubbling!