Since you made it here, you probably have too much chicken broth on your hands, and you don’t know what to do with it. And you may be wondering if you can freeze chicken broth?
Yes! In either case, freezing chicken broth is a great way to save it for later. It can be frozen for up to 3 months without losing much of its quality, but I have used 6-month-old frozen chicken broth without noticing a difference.
So let’s dive into a bit more about your frozen chicken broth and how to freeze it for the best results.
Best Way To Freeze Chicken Broth
There are several ways to freeze your chicken broth, but turning them into ice cubes is best. It allows you to control how much broth you use and prevents figuring out what to do with leftover chicken broth.
Step 1 – Start With Chilled Chicken Broth
You should start with chilled chicken broth. Never pour hot broth into ice cube trays and then into the freezer. It’s dangerous and may lead to your tray cracking.
Step 2 – Pour Broth Into Ice Cube Tray
Place your ice cube tray on a kitchen towel, scoop up one cup of chicken broth, and carefully pour it into your ice cube trays. It’s best to mix your broth quickly and then scoop it with a measuring cup.
Any size measuring cup will do as long as it fits inside your pot, and you can track how many cubes equals 1 cup of broth for your recipes later on.
And a measuring cup that has a pouring spout will help keep spills at bay.
Step 3 – Freeze In Ice Cube Trays
Once you have your tray topped up, place them in the freezer.
I like to freeze my trays of chicken broth for 4 hours, but it will depend on how cold and powerful your freezer is.
The key is that you don’t want them to be soft or sticky. Otherwise, they will freeze together and make it difficult to separate later.
Step 4 – Bag The Cubes
Once your broth has frozen into cubes, remove them and place them in a plastic freezer-safe bag.
Close and place the bag in the freezer immediately.
Step 5 – Label The Bag
Once your bag is full, label it with how many cubes equals one cup of broth and the date it was made.
This will help you keep track of your cubes’ dates and remind you of how many you will need for your recipes.
Step 6 – Repeat Until No Broth Is Left
Repeat steps 2 to 4 until you have no chicken broth left.
Step 7 – Use When Ready
When you’re ready to use your frozen chicken broth cubes, simply take what you need and add them to your favorite recipe.
You shouldn’t need to thaw the cubes if you’re making soup or a roast. Just dump them into the pot or roasting pan and heat accordingly.
Can You Freeze Homemade Chicken Broth?
Yes, you sure can! You should always consider making extra homemade chicken broth and freezing it.
Chicken broth and stock take a lot of time and effort to make. To save yourself the hassle, make large batches a couple of times a year so that you have a stash in the freezer for when you need it.
Freezing chicken broth is a great way to reduce food waste. Freeze your leftover chicken carcasses to add to your next batch of broth.
There are a few methods for freezing chicken broth, but I prefer to do it with ice cube trays and then bag the cubes after. I’ll explain the exact steps down below.
Can You Freeze Chicken Broth In The Box?
You should never freeze chicken broth in the box because liquids expand when they are frozen and will cause the box to break.
If you try to freeze your boxed broth, it will likely burst and create a mess in your freezer that is difficult to clean up. Try not to open more boxed broth than you will use in your recipe to avoid this problem.
Chicken broth in an unopened carton has a great shelf life. But if you have a partial carton left over, store it in the fridge and use it up within a couple of days. You can add broth to roasts that call for liquids or make a simple soup for lunch the following day.
How Long Can You Freeze Chicken Broth?
According to the USDA, chicken broth is good for two to three months in the freezer.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve used chicken broth that was six months old, and it still tasted the same as the day I froze it.
How To Freeze Chicken Broth
Equipment
- 1 Measuring Cup
- 1 Plastic Freezer Bag
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth (or chicken stock)
Instructions
- Start with chilled chicken broth.
- Pour broth into ice cube tray.
- Freeze ice cube trays for 4 hours.
- Bag the frozen broth cubes.
- Label the bag with date and 1 cup measurement.
- Repeat previous steps until no broth is left.
- Use when ready.
