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Chicken feet. ?
I never, ever in a million years thought I would ever be touching a chicken foot in my kitchen. Outside – that’s a different story. But inside? In a kitchen? I know.. disturbing really.
Your first thought might be a cross of repulsive, disturbing, disgust… maybe you are grossed out by the thought… whatever your feelings are, they make the very best stock.
Chicken feet are bone, cartilage and tendons that result in a really nice, rich broth that is full of nutrient – minerals, collagen and glucosamine chondroitin.
Collagen is something we take as a family every day – collagen peptides in our milk as a powerhouse nutrient to help us keep a strong immune system, in addition to gelatin for making gummies at home. The BEST source of collagen is nutrient dense broth.
It’s not the easiest thing to prepare chicken feet for broth, especially when you have kids at home. They will forever remember coming up behind me at the counter for the rest of their lives – I’m almost certain of it.
To make chicken feet broth you will need to find chicken feet – you can ask your local butcher or, head to the Mexican market (or, any ethnic market for that matter). Those ethnic markets often times carry those non traditional parts that are almost forgotten in today’s cooking.
Or.. you can head to your local Farmer’s Market and talk to a local farmer – who are often a wonderful source for pastured poultry raised without antibiotics and fed a diet of worms, and bugs, or organic (soy free) feed.
If you purchase from a local farmer, you can request the chicken feet if you buy the whole chicken. If you are looking for a local farmer near you that offers pastured chickens, look no farther than Agrilicious – I know Phoenix has several.
How to Prepare Chicken Feet Stock
To make stock with chicken feet, you’ll first want to prepare the feet beforehand – although in many cases the chicken feet will already be prepared, if you are buying from a local farmer, they won’t… so you’ll need to do the work yourself.
To dress the chicken feet, rub them thoroughly with salt and scald them in boiling water – then plunge them in an ice bath. This will help you peel the yellow membrane from the feet, and chop the talons off at the first knuckle (unless you want to keep them on the foot).
You want to try to avoid blanching them for too long or you can overcook them – – making it hard to peel them later.
Just remember these steps:
- Clean thoroughly
- Rub salt on them
- Blanch them in boiling water, then plunge in ice water (avoid overcooking!)
- Peel the skin
- Remove the talons
Once you have accomplished that, then grab the Instant Pot ~from this point forward it is relatively easy to make. Feel free to add your own veggies along with the chicken feet in the pot to change the flavor – or, season on your preference.
You can season with any of the following to give more flavor:
- Ginger
- Chiles
- Vegetable scraps (leaves, peels) — this would be a great time to use asparagus ends, celery ends, kale stems, etc.
- Lemongrass
- Garlic
- Star Anise
Your Instant Pot will take 180 minutes to make the stock (what would normally take 4-12 hours by stove) – allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 30 minutes before skimming the fat and straining through a strainer before pouring into canning jars.
Refrigerate overnight and the broth will gel as it cools.
Love your Instant Pot as much as we do? See over 50 Instant Pot Recipes – from tamales, to soft boiled eggs, cheesecake, and more.
Chicken Feet Stock (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Feet
- 10 C. water enough to cover
- Additional vegetable scraps, spices, herbs optional
- mesh strainer
Instructions
Prepare the chicken feet (as noted above)
Place the chicken feet in the Instant Pot and cover with 10 C. of water
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and close the valve to seal.
Set the timer for manual (high pressure) and 180 minutes.
Once the time has passed, allow the instant pot to release the pressure naturally for 30 minutes.
Refrigerate 24 hours or overnight.
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FAQs
Chicken feet have their own unique and wonderful flavor, and the added gelatin from the feet give whatever dish is made with the stock a luxurious feeling when eating it. Making stock from chicken feet has been a human activity for thousands of years.
Is Instant Pot good for stock? ›
There's no doubt a pressure cooker is the best tool for flavorful, gelatin-rich chicken stock that's ready in just about an hour.
Why use chicken feet in bone broth? ›
⬇️ While any chicken bones can yield excellent broth, some of the best parts to use include knuckles, joints, and chicken feet. These parts are collagen-rich, resulting in a gelatinous and nutrient-dense concoction.
Do you have to cut the nails off chicken feet for broth? ›
Chicken Bone Broth Ingredients
Remove the skins by boiling them in water for about 10 minutes, allow them to cool and then peel and scrub that yellow skin off of the feet. Also, you don't have to clip the nails off or do anything like that just make sure that the feet are clean.
Are dehydrated chicken feet safe? ›
Not only are they safe for your dog to eat but our puffed and dehydrated chicken feet offer a range of beneficial factors and are nutritionally healthy for your pet pooch. Chicken feet contain high concentrations of glucosamine and chondroitin, which are the ingredients often found in canine joint supplements.
What is the disadvantage of Instant Pot? ›
Con– The Instant Pot uses steam under pressure to cook food and not everything is meant to be cooked in the Instant Pot. I attempted a crustless quiche which turned out well but it was too wet and moist to my liking and I prefer to cook it in the oven with dry heat.
Can you overcook broth in Instant Pot? ›
It's absolutely possible to overcook Instant Pot bone broth.
Overcooked bone broth will taste bitter and I can't imagine it'd be very enjoyable. What is this? You'll want to boil the chicken feet for 5 minutes or so before using them in the Instant Pot. Boiling them just helps remove any impurities from the skin.
Can you leave broth in the Instant Pot overnight? ›
Can you leave bone broth in Instant Pot overnight? Yes.
How to properly prepare chicken feet? ›
Season the chicken feet with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, green onion, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, sugar, and 4 cups of water. Bring it to simmer, cover and let it cook for 1 hour. After 1 hour, the chicken feet should be ready to eat, rest it in the fridge for 1-2 hours or enjoy it right away!
How long does chicken feet broth last in the fridge? ›
Let the broth cool substantially, though not necessarily to room temperature, and place the containers into the fridge. After 24 hours, the broth will have gelled. Keep the broth in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days.
Chicken feet (also known as “patitas”) are a popular ingredient across Mexico, particularly in stews and soups. They are often steamed to become part of a main dish with rice, vegetables, and most likely another part of the chicken, such as the breast or thighs. The feet can be seasoned with mole sauce.
How do you get the most collagen out of chicken feet? ›
Cooking them for a long period of time at low heat allows the collagen to come out of the bones.
- If you are looking for a bone broth the gels well, this is the broth for you!
- Apple cider vinegar helps the bones and cartilage break down faster.
- Strain thoroughly through a mesh strainer. ...
- Pressure cook on high for 4 hours.
Remember, don't eat the bones and nails; the rest is edible. Get a grip on the foot and bite off the toes between the joints—do it one toe at a time. Chew off the skin and suck the bone, but make sure you spit the bone out.
Is it OK to use chicken skin in stock? ›
As mentioned above, I leave the roasted chicken's skin intact for the stock. Some folks feel that chicken skin adds too much fat to the broth leading to an unpleasant mouthfeel. I can see how raw chicken might do this, but with roasted chicken much of the fat has been rendered.
What parts of the chicken can you use for stock? ›
Feel free to use leftover bones from roast chicken, but at least half of the bones should be raw. Ask your butcher for feet, heads and wings, which are all high in gelatin and will lend body to the stock. Once cooled, freeze the stock in old 32-ounce yogurt containers, which have the added benefit of being premeasured.
What are chicken feet good for? ›
Chicken feet are a very nutritious snack that also boosts the immune system. This is because of the mineral content which is very beneficial to build health. It also contains collagen and some minerals such as copper, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and also calcium.
