Can You Freeze Chicken Broth? Here’s What You Must Do
Updated on March 2, 2023
Chicken broth can definitely make all your dishes a lot tastier and it’s definitely healthier than using concentrates you find in the store. When you make enough chicken broth to last for a while, you may want to freeze it up so it lasts longer.
If you love making your own chicken broth too, we can help you figure out how best to freeze it.
Can You Freeze Chicken Broth?
One of our readers reached out to us about chicken broth, too, so here’s their message:
My husband went on a cooking spree this weekend, and made a huge batch of chicken broth. We used some for soup, but have enough left over to make another big batch of soup. I want to make the soup now because I don’t think it’s safe to freeze cooked chicken broth.
He wants to freeze the broth to make soup again at a later date. He says if it’s safe to freeze commercially prepared chicken broth, it should be safe to freeze homemade chicken broth. So, is it safe to freeze cooked chicken broth?
Your husband is correct, it’s safe to freeze cooked chicken broth. Making big batches of chicken broth for later use in recipes such as soups or stews is a time honoured tradition. Chicken broth can be frozen and then thawed before being used in a variety of recipes.
How to Freeze Chicken Broth?
The key to successfully freezing chicken broth is to start with the freshest broth possible.
- Cook your broth according to your recipe, then skim off any foam from the top.
- Strain any vegetables from the broth to obtain a clear liquid.
- Allow the broth to come to room temperature.
- For a lower-fat chicken broth, cool the broth in the fridge until the fat comes to the top.
- Then, skim away the fat from the broth.
- To store in freezer bags, place a freezer bag in a large bowl.
- Fold the top of the bag over the edge of the bowl for easier filling.
- Pour the chicken broth into the freezer bags and then seal the bags, leaving some headroom at the top to allow for expansion.
- Freezing the broth in equal measures can make it easy to thaw the correct amount later.
- Label and date the bags, and indicate the amount of broth in each bag.
- Then lay flat in the freezer and stack for easy storage.
Chicken broth can also be frozen in freezer-safe, hard containers.
- Fill the container, leaving some headroom to allow for expansion.
- Place a layer of plastic wrap over the broth to protect against freezer burn.
- Seal the container, then label and date it, indicating the amount of chicken broth in the container.
How to Keep Chicken Broth for Longer?
If you want to make sure that your chicken broth will be good for a longer period of time, you should get a vacuum sealer. While you may be wondering how exactly you can mix the two, we can tell you that you simply need to freeze the broth first.
So, place it in whatever container you want to use, put it in the freezer for a few hours until it solidifies a little, and then use the vacuum sealer on it. This will take out all the extra air in the container and give it a perfect seal, which allows you to keep the broth for longer.
We have a long list of great vacuum sealers that may work for you. Our favorite is the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine which works with freezer bags and containers of different sizes so you can freeze smaller servings or big dishes.
How to Thaw Chicken Broth?
To thaw, remove the chicken broth from the freezer and allow it to thaw for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Use in your favorite recipe and consume within two days of thawing.