Chicken Soup - It's Time

[CrealCritter]

Try and make a big batch of chicken soup from left over chicken carcasses about this time of the year to can for winter.

We freeze our left over chicken carcasses this year I had 6 carcasses to make into soup. City folks throw these away... But us country folks know what good is and try and not waste anything. Expecially if you grew it or raised it - like these chickens

Get a BIG pot and put frozen carcasses in the fill with enough water to cover the carcasses. Put on the stove to Bing to a boil.

Add spices - I sprinkle equal amounts to cover the top of the water. And just a touch of sea salt and pepper. I also added celery seed which is not pictured.

Then add diced onion and carrots

Cover and boil for a min of 2 hours.

I'll post more as the soup cooks - but man the whole house smells so good right now

Remove carcasses allow to cool then remove skin and pull meat off the bones and put meat back in the pot.

Save bones skin and other pieces for wife to make broth out of. Wife would have my butt if I threw that away. Freeze the bag.

Fish out any small bones with a slotted spoon. Then add I quart of turkey or chicken broth (that the wife made) plus 2 quarts of water and 16 chicken bullion cubes then bring back to a boil then simmer for another couple of hours.

I'll edit and add more as the soup cooks man this a huge pot of soup!

 

[TexasLisa]

 

[sumi]

That looks great so far!

 

[CrealCritter]

Someone's gotta drink a little for testing... and to make sure it's fit for human consumption.

 

[CrealCritter]

Someone's gotta drink a little for testing... and to make sure it's fit for human consumption.
View attachment 4636

It's just a little to thin... but I know how to fix that. Instead of boiling it down, a couple handfuls of okra will fix it right up. Of course orka fixes just about anything

It's just about ready for the pressure canner.

But I'll save a little for supper tonight and make some dumplings to go along with it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh my.....Looks good!

 

[Beekissed]

Right time of year for it! It will taste wonderful on the first snow day and every snow day after that. When I get the chicken, stock and fat preserved this year, then I know I'm finally ready for winter.

 

[CrealCritter]

Just finished jar-ing and put into the pressure canner. My wife tried to help me but I told her "honey look - I want to do this by myself, so I learn how to... You taught me now let me try and do it alone. I holler if I need you". Then we went trough the steps again and she went on the porch. I only had to holler at her because I couldn't find her stash of small mouth rings.

Ok 1st add 3 quarts of water to the pressure canner and just a splash of white vinegar. Then add the little platform thingy and ten pints of jars. Then the other little platform thingy and 10 more pints.

Make sure you run your finger around the rim before putting the hot lid on and only tighten down the ring finger tight... Got it

First 20 pints ready for the pressure canner

First layer of 10 in the pressure canner

Second layer of 10 in the pressure canner

Plus 10 more pints and less than a quart which gets a plastic lid and goes into the refrigerator for lunch next week. 30 pints + a little less than a quart = a little less than 4 gallons not bad... Atleast we won't be eating Campbell's chicken soup this winter...

Now I'm waiting for steam to come out of the little thingy on top of the pressure canner for 10 mins then I put the weight on the thingy and cook it at 12 to 15 lbs for 75 minutes.

What better time to clean up the kitchen than while babysitting the pressure canner. I best clean up before my wife had my hide...

 

[CrealCritter]

Well I'm babysitting the pressure canner - I've done this many times..kind of boring but hey it has to be done...

Here is what's left of burbon red turkey tom soup from last year. My wife had to hide 5 jars from the kids - it's so good.

 

[Beekissed]

Just think of all that pure food you guys are growing and eating. It's a luxury nowadays to have pure food that isn't tainted with this or that preservative, unpronouncable chemical, or commercially raised animal meat.

Whenever I open a jar of meat raised here I always think of how privileged I am to have food that hasn't passed through the USDA's idea of what is nutritious and good for you. Pure meat that has been eating pure food found on the land that it untainted with herbicides, pesticides or any other "cide".

It's a good feeling. You can bask in that as you babysit your canner and remember you are eating like royalty compared to other folks out there.