Stock cubes are those cubes we add to our cooking to enhance the taste of the food. Popular brands include Maggi, Knorr, Royco, etc. Homemade stock cubes are perfect for those intolerant to MSG, for kids recipes and for those concerned about what goes into their food. If you’re into homemaking and DIY projects, here’s an easy recipe for homemade chicken stock cubes. Finally, there’s something to do with all that chicken stock sitting in your freezer.
Homemade stock cubes are perfect for:
Credit: All Nigerian Recipes
- Preparing kids recipes especially for kids less than 1-year-old.
- Preparing meals for people who are intolerant to MSG. MSG stands for Monosodium Glutamate. It is the taste-enhancing ingredient used in most store-bought stock cubes. MSG is generally safe for most of us but if you are intolerant to MSG, you’ll know or your doctor will tell you. A person that’s intolerant to MGS gets reactions when they eat food prepared with stock cubes that contain MSG. For more information on MSG intolerance, you’ll find lots of information here.
- People who are concerned about the ingredients used in making stock cubes. You know, some of us really want to know what we put in our mouths. And there are lots of chemical ingredients added to stock cubes. If you are one of those people, you need to start making your own stock cubes.
Storage: It keeps nicely in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Usage: Add the cubes to your taste. It is all-natural so there is no risk of adding too much.
Ingredients for Homemade Stock Cubes
For basic homemade stock cubes prepared without vegetables, only chicken, you’ll need:
- Chicken bones with some meat on them
- Salt (optional)
- Chunks of onion
For Chicken Flavoured Homemade Stock Cubes, You Will Need:
- 500g Chicken bones or minced chicken breast
- 3 leeks (or 6 Spring onions)
- 1 onion
- 3 big carrots
- Salt to taste (optional)
Procedure
The directions described here is for making chicken flavoured stock cubes in your home but the same procedure applies to beef flavoured and fish flavoured homemade stock cubes.
- Cut up the chicken and vegetables into small pieces.
- Put everything in a pot, add water to half the level of the contents of the pot and cook on medium to high heat for 45 minutes or till everything is soft and tender.
- Set aside to cool down completely.
- Remove the bones from the chicken.
- Blend the chicken and vegetables.
- Strain with a sieve to remove all traces of bones and other particles that did not blend well.
- Pour into ice cube trays and place in the freezer overnight.
- Once frozen, bring out from the ice cube trays and put in a container with a cap.
- Cover and put back in the freezer. That’s it!
Add to your cooking as you would use store-bought stock cubes.
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