Chicken Soup

There is nothing like a bowl of chicken soup on a cold winter day.  I figured I better get busy and make a few jars.  This is a basic chicken soup that you can add your noodles or rice to once opened. 

Ingredients yields approximately 8 pints or 4 quarts

• 4 quarts of chicken stock
• 3 cups of diced cooked chicken
• 1 1/2 cups celery
• 1 1/2 cups carrots
• 1 cup onions
• salt and pepper

To make stock:
Cut up a 3 or 4 pound chicken, put in large stainless steel pot and cover with 4 quarts of water.  When chicken is done, remove from bones and save for using in soup.  Put bones back in the pot.
Add  cut veggies to the pot:  2 carrots, 2 medium onions, 2 stalks of celery, 10 pepper corns, 2 bay leaves and a tbsp of salt.
Skim foam as needed.  To get a nice, rich broth I allow mine to cook overnight in a roaster.
Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth.  Allow to cool and remove fat.

To can just the Chicken Stock:  Fill jars leaving 1 inch head-space.  Process pints jars 20 minutes or quart jars 25 minutes at 10 pounds pressure.  Adjust for elevations.

To Make Soup:

Wash and clean your veggies.  Chop your celery and  onions and slice your carrots.  Combine Chicken Stock, Chicken and Vegetables in a large stainless steel pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  

This soup has very little solids.  It works great with noodles for making homemade chicken noodle soup.  We also like opening a jar and adding home canned chicken to it, thicken the broth a little and serving it over a plate of rice.  

Ladle your  hot soup into jars making sure to evenly distribute the meat and veggies leaving one inch head-space.  Use a chop stick and stir to remove air bubbles.  Adjust head-space if needed by adding more broth.  Wipe rims of jars with a paper towel dipped in vinegar to ensure a good seal.  Put on lids and rings and tighten down finger tight. Place jars in canner.  Put on the lid and vent the steam for 10 minutes. Process at 10 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes for quarts. If you make pints, then process for 75 minutes.

Let the pressure drop naturally and once it reaches zero, wait 10 minutes and then remove the canner lid, Wait 10 more minutes for jars to cool and adjust to the rooms temperature.

Allow to cool at least 12 hours and check your seals.

Label and Store

Jars need washed, I forgot to put vinegar in my canner water.

Reference:  Ball Blue Book guide to Preserving 2014 Edition