Learn How to make Vegetable Broth at home. It’s easy, flavorful and perfect for making soups, stews, sauces and more!

It makes the perfect base for this vegetable soup recipe, Instant Pot vegetable soup and Mexican vegetable soup.

I often buy store-bought vegetable base and I shouldn’t. Homemade vegetable broth is so easy to make and so much more tasty, it just requires some planning.

I am going to try to do it more often by saving veggie scraps in the freezer! Then you can use it in soup recipes, in place of water to make rice and quinoa, or just casually sip on a cup of delicious fresh veggie broth!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s fast: Unlike chicken broth recipe, it’s ready in 45 minutes.
• No skimming: Again, unlike any meat broth like Instant Pot beef bone broth, no skimming of foam or fat is necessary.
• More flavor than store-bought: Your vegetable broth will be rich with a depth of flavor that doesn’t compare to store-bought.
• Saves money: This vegetable broth recipe makes 12 cups and will last weeks in the fridge or freezer.

Ingredients for Homemade Vegetable Broth

Here are the basic ingredients you need to make your own flavorful vegetable broth.

• Must-add vegetables: Onion, shallots or leeks; carrot, and celery. These vegetables enhance depth, flavor, and body.
• Veggie scraps: This time I added carrot peels, celery ends, broccoli stems, pepper cores, and onion peels. See more below for a full list.
• Garlic is nice: Not necessary but it adds good flavor. I like to cut it in half and sauté first.
• Optional: Fresh herbs would also add nice flavor. I had a wilting bunch of fresh parsley, so I tossed that in.
• Quality olive oil: Choose a flavorful oil like extra-virgin olive oil. I prefer it to mild oil like avocado oil because it makes part of the vegetable broth.
• Seasonings: Bay leaves, salt and pepper.

What Vegetable Scraps to Save for Vegetable Broth?

Keep it simple and don’t make any extra trips to the store to grab ingredients you wouldn’t already have on hand. Use any vegetable scraps, peels, ends, cores, or limp veggies you normally buy and freeze them!

Here’s a few that would add sweetness and depth of flavor.

• Bell pepper cores.
• Mushroom stems.
• Tops or ends of tomatoes, sweet potatoes or butternut squash.
• Stems from fresh herbs such as fresh thyme, parsley, cilantro, or rosemary.
• Leafy green stems.

What Vegetables Not to Use in Vegetable Broth?

In general, most vegetable scraps can be added to your homemade broth but there are a few I avoid because they could add a bitter taste.

• Cruciferous vegetables: Like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy, mustard greens, and brussels sprouts.
• Bland vegetables: Like zucchini, green beans and potatoes.
• Citrus: Peels from lemon, lime, oranges etc.
• Certain herbs: A bit is OK, as you can see I added 1 rosemary sprig.

How to Make Vegetable Broth

Here’s a quick and easy overview of how to make vegetable broth. You’ll need a large pot or Dutch oven, and a fine mesh strainer.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Sauté must-add vegetables: Heat a large pot on medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add scraps and herbs: To the same pot, add veggie scraps, fresh herbs, and bay leaves.
• Cover with water: Fill the pot almost to the top with cold water, cover with lid.
• Simmer: Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and gently simmer for at least 45 minutes. Feel free to simmer for up to 2 hours for a more flavorful veggie broth.

• Season the broth: Remove lid and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, I like to start with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Strain: Pour broth through a large fine mesh strainer over a large bowl.
• Let it cool: Use a funnel to divide vegetable broth between large Mason jars or airtight containers. Let cool to room temperature and store in fridge or freezer.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my expert tips that will boost the flavor and quality of your vegetable broth.

• Be sure veggie scraps are clean: Before freezing, be sure to wash the scraps. No one wants dirt soup.
• Save “fresh scraps”: Washed and unpeeled carrot is fine where as washed moldy carrot is not.
• Use cold water: This allows the veggies to release flavor slowly without breaking down.
• Don’t add too much salt but also don’t skip it: Salt helps enhance the taste but because you’ll probably be using it in other recipes that call for salt, you don’t want to add too much.
• Make it more concentrated: Use less water, 3/4 pot full of water.

Variations

As I mentioned above, this basic recipe will taste different every time but it’s also adaptable. Here’s a few ways you can customize it even more.

• Asian inspired: Add fresh ginger, shiitake stems and lemongrass.
• Add color: A bit of turmeric will give the broth a golden color and add a hint of peppery spice.
• Mushroom broth: Omit veggie scraps and add 3 cups of mushroom stems or use fresh mushrooms.
• Corn broth: Save corn cobs and add them to the broth to simmer.
• Make it sweet: Add apple or pear pieces, cores, or peels.
• Add tang: One tomato will give it a touch of tang.

How to Store

Store: If you’ll be using your broth right away you can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Store in jars or freezer-safe containers with leak proof lids, leaving a few inches from the top for expansion.

Or pour into individual ice cubes for using in recipes that call for a small amount, like gravy.

Reheat and reuse: Bring cold broth to a boil on stove top and then proceed with soup or chili recipe. Or add cold to slow cooker recipes.

FAQs

Use Vegetable Broth in These Recipes

• Ukrainian borscht
• Vegetarian borscht
• Beef vegetable soup
• Lentil spinach soup
• Instant Pot cabbage soup
• Vegetarian pasta fagioli
• Slow cooker lentil soup

Print

How to Make Vegetable Broth

Learn How to make Vegetable Broth at home. It's easy, flavorful and perfect for making soups, stews, sauces and more!

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cups

Calories 21kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Large pot
• Mesh strainer

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
• 3 medium carrots coarsely chopped
• 3 large celery ribs coarsely chopped
• 1 head of garlic cut in half
• 3 cups veggie scraps or more veggies of choice
• Fresh herbs optional
• 4 bay leaves
• 16 cups cold water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat large pot on medium heat and add olive oil. Then add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Then add veggie scraps, fresh herbs, bay leaves and cold water to almost the top of the pot. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 45 minutes. The longer broth simmers, the more flavorful it is.
• Season broth with salt and pepper to taste, I like to start with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. It depends what you will use it for. Then strain broth through a large fine mesh strainer over a large bowl.
• Using a funnel, divide vegetable broth between large Mason jars or airtight containers and let cool to room temperature.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate chicken broth for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 0.02g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 404mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 0.001g

The post How to Make Vegetable Broth appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Broth is flavorful, easy and so budget friendly. Making it in your electric pressure cooker is completely hands-off method.

Instant Pot chicken noodle soup and Instant Pot chicken and rice soup are just a few favorite recipes to use homemade chicken broth.

As you may know, Instant Pot recipes make quite a large chunk of recipes on iFoodReal, and Instant Pot chicken broth along with Instant Pot beef bone broth are the ones I make almost weekly!

Because it’s so easy to throw in any meat or bones along with whatever vegetables I have going in my fridge drawers, and end up with a giant pot of “liquid gold” at the end. Kids love it and healthy dinner is taken care of for about $15.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Budget friendly: Use affordable cuts of chicken, chicken necks, bones or even put leftover carcass from cooking whole chicken in Instant Pot to use. Chicken broth is also a great way to use up veggie scraps, just collect them in the freezer over time.
• Hands off cooking method: Unlike stovetop chicken broth recipe, with chicken broth in Instant Pot you don’t have to wait for it to boil and then skim the foam.
• Control the sodium level: Store bought chicken broth, whether bouillon cubes, carton or in a can, can come with a lot of sodium in a shape of added salt or MSG. When you make it at home from scratch, you have complete control over the ingredients.
• More flavorful: Pressure cooker really does a good job extracting the flavor from meat, skin and bones of the chicken. Homemade chicken broth is much more flavorful than store-bought.

What Is the Difference Between Chicken Broth and Chicken Stock?

When it comes to cooking chicken with water, there are 3 main types of the end result to expect:

• Chicken broth: It is usually made with bone-in and some skin on chicken meat, vegetables and seasonings. Simmered for not as long, chicken broth has a lighter consistency and weight to it but more flavor than chicken stock.
• Chicken stock: Making a stock always involves the bones of the chicken, not the meat. A stock isn’t always seasoned but can be made with an optional mirepoix of onions, celery and carrots.
• Chicken bone broth: Then there is also bone broth which is simply chicken stock simmered over a long period, sometimes up to 24 hours. Apple cider vinegar can be used to draw out the collagen from bones. With the Instant Pot, these 24 hours are drastically reduced to just under 3 hours. You can use it for cooking, however, traditionally it has been sipped on and enjoyed for all of its nutrients and healing properties.

All 3 have similarities and each one has a place in our food and our bodies!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Broth

To make Instant Pot chicken broth, all you need is almost any chicken, veggies and cold water.

• Chicken: You will need 2-3 pounds of bone-in chicken but not chicken breasts. Use chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings, necks, raw chicken carcass with some meat on it, or whole raw chicken or what’s left from cutting a whole chicken.
• Vegetables: Have you been collecting veggie scraps in the freezer? This is a great time to toss them in here. Or if you don’t have any, use carrots and celery stalks. I also added a few leeks. Then one garlic head and a whole onion.
• Seasoning: Bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and salt.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Here is a photo overview how to make chicken broth in Instant Pot. You can find full recipe card below.

• Add chicken and veggies: In 6, 8 or 10 quart Instant Pot, add chicken, vegetables, bay leaves and peppercorns. Don’t add salt yet, we season chicken broth at the end.
• Add cold water: Now pour cold water up to 2/3 max fill line. It’s important not to use warm or hot water to avoid cloudy broth.
• Pressure cook: Close the lid and set vent to Sealing. Pressure Cook chicken broth on High pressure or Manual for 30-45 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 30 minutes to come to pressure.
• Release: Let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes. This means don’t do anything to it until the pin drops. After turn valve to Venting position to release remaining pressure.
• Drain and season: Open the lid and strain the stock into a mesh strainer over a large bowl or clean pot. Remove cooked chicken into a bowl and separate later into meat and bones. Do a little taste test and season to your liking, I like to add 1-2 teaspoons of salt for low sodium chicken broth.

Tips for Best Results

• Start with cold water: Do not add hot water or warm water along with chicken and vegetables. It will make the broth more cloudy.
• Use only some chicken skin: Some chicken skin in chicken broth adds flavor. But if you add too much, broth will turn out too rich. If I am using chicken drumsticks or bone-in chicken thighs, I like to remove chicken skin by holding onto it with paper towel from about half of the meat.
• Avoid chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are white meat which is lean, it does lack flavor and fat. I don’t suggest you use them to make chicken broth as it will come out quite thin and flat.
• Add other seasonings: Feel free to add dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, Italian seasoning, or spices like cayenne, or turmeric before or after pressure cooking.
• If using frozen chicken or veggies: If your vegetable scraps and the chicken are frozen, no need to thaw anything ahead of time. Your Instant Pot will just take a bit longer to come up to pressure.

Ways to Use Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Other than many soups and stews, Instant Pot chicken broth can be added to other recipes like Instant Pot rice for more flavor, as a base for gravies, chicken chili, chicken stew, and Instant Pot soup recipes.

Here are a few of my favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes that call for chicken broth:

• Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
• Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup
• Instant Pot Thai chicken soup
• Instant Pot chicken breast

Substitute Instant Pot chicken broth in any recipe that calls for water to add additional flavor!

How to Store and Freeze

Store: Chicken stock in an Instant Pot is perfect to make in big batches. It can be stored in jars or resealable gallon size bags for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Freeze: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer-friendly container, leaving room for expansion. Or portion out between the ice cube trays to use when recipe calls for a small amount of chicken stock.

Reheat: You can reheat chicken broth on the stovetop. You want to thaw it in the fridge overnight or simmer on low heat in a pot while covered.

FAQs

Print

Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Broth is flavorful, easy and so budget friendly. Making it in your electric pressure cooker is completely hands-off method.

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine Ukrainian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Pressure Up & Down Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cups

Calories 11kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Mason jars
• Strainer

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bone-in chicken like chicken drumsticks, thighs, carcass or whole chicken
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large whole onion peeled
• 1 head of garlic halved
• 2 large celery stalks
• 1 cup veggies scraps
• 5 bay leaves
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 10-12 cups cold water
• 1-2 teaspoons salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add chicken, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, veggie scraps, bay leaves, peppercorns and cold water not exceeding 2/3 PC Max line.
• Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 45 minutes. After let pressure come down on its own for 30 minutes and then turn valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
• Open the lid and first discard the vegetables with a mesh strainer. Then remove chicken and bones onto a large plate, let them cool down and remove meat from the bones. Season broth with salt and then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
• Add meat back in or use in other meals. Use broth for making soups or drink hot with fresh herbs and freshly cracked pepper.

Notes

• Store: Let cool completely and refrigerate in Mason jars or resealable silicone bags for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Let cool completely, transfer to Mason jars or resealable silicone bags (leaving some room for expansion) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or simmer in a covered pot on low heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.05g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 407mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

The post Instant Pot Chicken Broth appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn how to make a large batch of homemade Chicken Broth and have leftover chicken for all your favorite recipes. It’s my family’s easy recipe with lots of tips and tricks!

We also keep Instant Pot chicken broth, vegetable broth and Instant Pot beef bone broth recipes in our cooking basics arsenal.

Everyone needs to know how to make a big batch of the most delicious chicken broth! You can’t compare it to store-bought!

Whether you are making a pot of healthy chicken noodle soup or Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, any flavorful chicken soup starts with properly prepared chicken broth.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Family recipe: This is my grandma’s foolproof recipe I have been cooking for 20 years, it’s the best!
• Clear broth: I will share a few tips and tricks how to end up with the best homemade chicken broth that is not cloudy.
• Super easy: This was the first recipe I learnt to make. It’s so easy! Even for a beginner cook.
• Budget friendly: Whenever I make a batch, it lasts me weeks in the fridge and freezer to make soup and stews like chicken noodle vegetable soup and extra chicken meat to make lunches like healthy chicken salad.
• Versatile: Use as much or as little chicken you have, and use any kind besides chicken breasts. Also, broth can be made with or without vegetables.

Ingredients for Chicken Broth Recipe

Making chicken broth at home is super easy, and you’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients.

• Chicken: This recipe uses 2-3 pounds of bone-in chicken, not chicken breasts. Use chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings, necks, raw chicken carcass or whole raw chicken.
• Onion: Be sure to keep your onion whole or halved if you have a large onion but peel it. The hairy end holds it together.
• Veggies: Use fresh veggies or even saved frozen vegetable scraps. I peeled and chopped fresh carrots and tossed in a few celery ribs.
• Bay leaves and whole black peppercorns: For more flavor. I like to add them straight to the pot but you can add them to a sachet, a piece of cheesecloth, or linen towel tied with kitchen twine.
• Spices: Salt and pepper to taste.

How to Make Chicken Broth

Here’s a quick overview of how to make chicken broth, you’ll love making it in your very own kitchen!

There is a full recipe card below.

• Add everything to a pot: To a large pot or Dutch oven, add chicken, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
• Cover with water: Fill the pot with cold water until it’s almost to the top.
• Bring to a boil: Cover and bring to a rolling boil, careful not to let it boil over. Reduce heat to low and use a fine mesh strainer to skim the foam off the top.
• Simmer: Leave the lid half way covering the pot and simmer gently for 1.5 – 2 hours, you should see bubbles occasionally showing up on top.

• Remove and separate chicken: Carefully remove chicken and transfer to a large bowl. Once it’s cooled, separate the meat and skin from the bones, save them for other chicken recipes and discard the bones.
• Strain the broth: Using small mesh strainer, remove the onion, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns and discard them. Next, remove the carrots and save them for eating or discard. Skim any remaining small pieces with a fine mesh strainer or strain into a different pot.
• Season the broth: Add salt and pepper to taste, then divide homemade chicken broth between large Mason jars and let cool to room temperature.

Tips for Best Results

Here are the top tips and tricks from my grandma’s kitchen, to my kitchen, to yours.

• Always use cold water: This is key to keeping the broth clear.
• Don’t skip the onion: Onions add extra flavor but also helps make your broth clear.
• Remove some chicken skin: The skin adds flavor to the liquid and the meat but to avoid extra fat, I always remove some of the skin.
• Don’t fully cover the pot with a lid: Simmering while fully covered will make broth cloudy and bubble vigorously.
• A note about cooking time: The longer you cook, the more flavorful it is. The minimum for best results is 1.5 hours up to 5 hours.

Variations

There are so many uses and variations for chicken broth, here’s a few you can try.

• Add more herbs and spices: With more herbs comes more flavor. Add parsley stems, thyme, rosemary, or garlic cloves. You can also add other spices like cayenne pepper, turmeric, and ginger.
• Start with frozen chicken: The process stays the same but cook time will be longer.
• Turn it into chicken noodle soup: After broth is ready, keep the carrots, remove and shred the chicken and just add cubed potatoes, cook for 10 minutes. Then add noodles and cook for another 3-5 minutes, then add shredded chicken back in along with fresh herbs like parsley or dill.
• Drink chicken broth by itself: As kids, we always enjoyed a hot cup of chicken broth. I love to season it with salt, freshly ground black pepper and fresh dill or parsley. So good when you are feeling under the weather!

Are Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth the Same?

No, chicken stock and chicken broth are not the same. A lot of recipes call for stock or broth because they can have the same uses, but they are different.

Chicken stock is made from just bones, takes longer to make, and creates a thicker liquid. Chicken broth is made with meat, bones, and sometimes vegetables yielding a thinner liquid with more flavor.

How to Store

Store: I store my broth in the fridge for up to 4 days, if I know I will be making soup or chili.

Freeze: Make sure to leave room for expansion at the top of your jar or airtight container, my favorite containers are glass mason jars. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for recipes that call for just a bit of it such as sauces etc.

Reheat and reuse: Bring cold broth to a boil and then proceed with soup recipe. Or add cold to recipes like healthy white chicken chili or slow cooker chicken stew.

FAQs

Recipes to Use Homemade Chicken Broth In

• Slow cooker chicken noodle soup
• Chicken stew
• Lemon chicken orzo soup
• Instant Pot chicken and rice soup
• Healthy chicken tortilla soup
• Healthy chicken wild rice soup
• Chicken vegetable soup

Print

How to Make Chicken Broth

Make a batch of homemade Chicken Broth and have leftover chicken for all your favorite recipes. Easy recipe and lots of tips to keep it clear!

Course Soup and Stew

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cups

Calories 50kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Large pot
• Mesh strainer
• Mason jars

Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds bone-in chicken like chicken drumsticks, thighs, carcass or whole chicken
• 1 medium onion whole and peeled
• 2 medium carrots peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 medium celery ribs coarsely chopped
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 6-8 whole peppercorns
• Cold water
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large pot, add chicken, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and cold water to almost the top of the pot.
• Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, watching it closely not to run. Then immediately reduce heat to low and skim the foam off the top with a fine mesh strainer.
• Simmer gently with bubbles occasionally showing up on top and the lid half way covering the pot for 1.5 – 2 hours. The longer broth simmers, the more flavorful it is.
• Remove chicken into a large bowl and let it cool. Separate chicken meat and skin from bones, saving meat and skin for other recipes and discarding the bones.
• Remove and discard the onion, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns with a mesh strainer. Remove carrots and save them for eating later or discard. Then I like to skim more small pieces from the broth with a fine mesh strainer or you can strain it into a different pot.
• Season broth with salt and pepper to taste, I like to start with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. It depends what you will use it for. Then divide chicken broth between large Mason jars or airtight containers and let cool to room temperature.

Notes

• Chicken skin: I recommend to remove some chicken skin by holding onto it with paper towel, to avoid broth being extra fatty.
• Store: Refrigerate chicken broth for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 50kcal | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 241mg

The post How to Make Chicken Broth appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Cook Dried Beans at home so you’ll always have some on hand. Use this easy stovetop method for a variety of beans and add them to salads, soups, stews, and more!

If I am not cooking beans on the stove, I love to make Instant Pot black beans, Instant Pot chickpeas or kidney beans in Instant Pot.

Here is everything you need to know about how to cook dried beans! It is super easy. I can guarantee you have all tools on hand already.

All you need is a large pot, small mesh strainer or a perforated spoon, and any storage containers. And a little bit of time!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Saves money: If you are paying $3-4 for a can of organic BPA free beans, I have a solution for you – buy dried beans, cook them and freeze them for later. It is 3 times cheaper! A 3 pound bag of organic dried beans costs $14, which yields about 14 cans of beans x $3 = $42.
• Avoid BPA: Majority of cans are lined with BPA, which leaches into food and is harmful for humans. That’s why there are now BPA free baby bottles, food containers and cans.
• Healthier: Can be organic, lower in sodium or no salt at all.
• Delicious beans: Freshly cooked beans are more fresh, tasty and buttery than canned beans. Once you taste them, you will know what I mean.
• Perfect for meal prep: If you cook a few kinds of beans at a time, you will be set for a few months. I usually cook 3 pounds of each kind of beans: chickpeas, black beans and kidney beans. They last me about 6 months.

What Dried Beans Can I Cook?

Small, medium, or large, my simple method for how to cook dry beans works for all sizes.

• Chickpeas aka garbanzo beans
• Black beans
• Black eyed-peas
• Pinto beans
• Kidney beans
• Navy beans
• Great Northern beans
• Cannellini beans
• Lima beans
• Cranberry beans

Do Dried Beans Have to Be Soaked Before Cooking?

There is a lot of debate whether dried beans need to be soaked or not.

The answer is no, dried beans do not have to be soaked before cooking. It really boils down to personal preference and how much time you have.

In all my tests, I found that soaked beans cook more even and better on the stove, which is important if you are making recipes like white bean salad or black bean quinoa casserole. No one likes mushy beans there!

And I did not see any difference with digesting the beans whether they have been soaked or not.

However, I prefer to soak the beans overnight for stovetop method and cook from dried in my Instant Pot because it saves time and is convenient.

If you would like to cook dried beans without soaking, please see more info a few paragraphs down.

How to Make Dried Beans after Soaking

You’ll need a couple of hours but cooking dried beans is easy!

Here’s a quick overview of how to make beans after soaking, there is a full recipe card below.

• Sort through beans: There may be small stones or debris mixed in with the beans, remove those along with any damaged beans.
• Soak the beans: Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with 2 or 3 inches of cold water. Let them soak for 8 hours or overnight.
• Rinse: Drain and rinse the soaked beans under cold water. Transfer them to a large pot, add cold water up to 3 inches above the beans and cover with a lid.

• Cook the beans: Bring to a boil on high heat, reduce to low and simmer at a gentle boil. Use a mesh strainer to remove any foam that rises.
• Add salt and continue cooking: The total cooking time depends on the beans’ size and age, please refer to my chart below. After 40-60 minutes of cooking, add salt to the pot. Continue cooking until the beans are soft inside but still hold their shape. I recommend tasting every 20 minutes.
• Remove cooked beans: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a bowl. Alternatively, you can drain the beans through a mesh strainer. I like to save the broth for soups and stews, yum!
• Cool: Let them cool and use right away or store for later.

How Long Do Beans Take to Cook?

The total time needed for cooking dried beans depends on a couple of factors. For example, the size and whether or not you soaked them.

The most important thing to remember is that cooking time mostly depends on how old your beans are!

There’s no way to pin point the exact cook time, but here’s a guideline for pre-soaked beans to help you.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tips on how to cook dried beans with better taste and texture than canned beans.

• Don’t let beans boil vigorously: As soon as the water boils reduce the heat, make sure they still simmer gently. Too low heat will not boil them, be careful and watch.
• Cover the pot: Cook with the lid on. Otherwise your kitchen and house will be full of steam, unless you don’t mind. It also makes beans cook faster!
• Don’t overcook the beans: When beans have simmered for too long, they become very soft and mushy. This also happens if they are left in the hot broth after cooking. It’s best to taste test beans periodically and drain as soon as they are cooked to your liking.
• Cooking time depends on the age of your beans: As beans age their moisture content evaporates causing them to have a harder skin, which takes longer to soften.
• Don’t salt the beans at the start: Adding salt at the beginning will slow down the cooking and cause your beans to have a firmer texture. For evenly cooked, fully seasoned, perfectly creamy beans, add the salt in the middle of the cooking process.

Seasoning the Beans

Honestly, I usually cook beans for soups, stew and chili and do not season beans unless I’m making Instant Pot baked beans or refried beans in Instant Pot. But here are a few ideas to season a pot of beans:

• Aromatics: Add chopped onion or shallots and smashed garlic cloves to the pot.
• Herbs: Toss in bay leaves or a sprig of parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, or cilantro.
• Spices: Add warming or spicy flavors with cumin, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, dried chilies, or peppercorns.
• Vegetables: Create a rich broth and make the beans more flavorful by adding carrots, celery, leeks, or ginger at the start of cooking.
• Liquids: Add a splash of fresh lime juice or lemon juice after beans have been cooked and drained. Or drizzle them with red wine vinegar or some olive oil.

How to Store Cooked Beans

Store: Beans will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store them drained or in the cooking liquid in an airtight container.

Freeze: Transfer drained beans or beans in their cooking liquid to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

I like to freeze beans in can portions, which is 1 3/4 cups of drained beans. I also reuse my Ziploc bags. Simply wash them, dry and reuse.

FAQs

Save and Use Bean Broth in These Recipes

• Mushroom bean soup
• Vegetarian pasta fagioli
• Vegetarian borscht
• Ukrainian borscht
• Minestrone soup

Recipes to Use Cooked Beans In

• Instant Pot chili
• Instant Pot turkey chili
• Healthy turkey chili
• Mango black bean salad
• Instant Pot white chicken chili
• Healthy white chicken chili
• Turkey taco soup
• Mexican bean salad

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How to Cook Dried Beans

Learn How to Cook Dried Beans at home so you'll always have some on hand. Use this easy stovetop method for a variety of beans and add them to salads, soups, stews, and more!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 cups

Calories 328kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Large pot
• Mesh strainer

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried beans cannellini beans, chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans or kidney beans
• Cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Sort through beans to remove any damaged beans and debris. Place dried beans in a large bowl and cover with 2-3 inches of cold water. Soak for 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot, fill with cold water 3 inches above and cover the pot.
• Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat to low so beans are boiling just gently, and simmer. Just before and as beans start boiling, you will see a lot of foam. Remove it with a mesh strainer.
• Cooking time depends on beans' size and age. General rule of thumb is to cook small beans (black, black-eyed peas and navy beans) for 45-90 minutes, medium beans (kidney, Great Northern, pinto and garbanzo beans) for 60-120 minutes, and large beans (lima and cannellini beans) for 80-180 minutes.
• When beans are still firm but a bit tender, about 40-60 minutes into cooking process, add salt to the pot. Keep cooking the beans until the beans are soft inside but still intact on the outside. Best way is to taste test the bean every 20 minutes or so!
• When beans are cooked to your liking, remove them into a bowl with a slotted spoon and save the broth for making soups and stews, or drain the beans through a mesh strainer. Leaving beans in the hot liquid will keep cooking them, which is fine only for soups.
• Let beans cool and use them as per recipe, store in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

• Store: Store drained beans or in the cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
• Freeze: I like to pack drained beans about 1 3/4 cups into each resealable Ziploc bag, which is equivalent to one 14-15 ounces can of drained beans. You can also freeze beans in their cooking liquid. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.67cups | Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 2g

The post How to Cook Dried Beans appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Here’s a look at How to Freeze Muffins so they stay fresh for 3 months. I’ll also share some helpful tips on thawing and reheating, so they remain fluffy.

Make a big batch of healthy muffins last longer by knowing how to freeze muffins correctly. My method is super easy, so you can enjoy your favorite healthy breakfast or healthy snack for months to come!

No more eating soggy or dry leftover muffins, although I share lots of tips how to store muffins for days so they stay fresh.

And in this post is everything you need to know about freezing muffins!

How Long to Store Muffins Before Freezing?

If you’re not planning on freezing your muffins right away, here’s how to best store them for the first few days.

• First 24 hours: After baking, let your muffins cool for 5-10 minutes in the muffin pan before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store them at room temperature on the counter covered with a clean kitchen towel.
• Up to 4 days: After the first 24 hours add a layer of paper towel to a large airtight container and place muffins inside in a single layer. Then add another layer of paper towel, seal with lid, and keep them on your counter for 4 days.

Supplies You Will Need

First and foremost, you’ll need Ziploc bags. I love them because they expand well and I usually wash them with warm soapy water, dry and reuse.

I do not love silicone reusable bags because they are very narrow and don’t expand, meaning you can’t fit many muffins in them. I also find they break along the seams eventually.

You’ll also need straws if you decide to suck air out of the bag, which I highly recommend!

How to Freeze Muffins

Here’s a quick overview of how to freeze muffins, this method works with any healthy muffin recipe.

• Bake and cool: Bake your batch of muffins as per recipe and let them cool, first in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then on a wire rack.
• Transfer to freezer bag: Without overlapping, place as many muffins as you can into a gallon size Ziploc bag. You can also wrap each muffin in plastic wrap individually and then in a bag.
• Remove air: Seal the bag, leaving a small opening and suck out air as much as possible. A straw really helps for this step!
• Freeze: Pop them in your freezer, making sure they are laying flat.

How Long Do Muffins Last in the Freezer?

You can store muffins in your freezer for 3 months. Technically could be for up to 6 months but I do not love the stale smell and taste they get after 3 months.

How to Thaw and Reheat Muffins

Remove frozen muffins from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Or thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the microwave.

If you’re not thawing the whole bag remember to remove air and reseal the bag before placing them back in the freezer.

If you have a sudden muffin craving place an unwrapped muffin on a paper towel or microwave-safe plate and reheat in the microwave. I find 15-20 seconds is perfect but may need a bit longer depending on muffin size.

You can also wrap your muffin in foil, place on a baking sheet, and reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes on 350 degrees F.

5 Tips for Best Results

• Cool muffins completely: If the muffins are even a tiny bit warm when transferred to a container or bag the condensation will collect and you’ll end up with soggy muffins.
• Remove as much air as possible: Excess air in the bag allows ice crystals to form around the muffins which causes freezer burn and increased moisture when thawed. Get as much air out as possible, so your muffins don’t turn soggy once thawed.
• Don’t freeze too long: Maximum recommended freezing time is 3 months. Any longer and the smell, texture, and flavor will be off.
• You can thaw at room temperature: It is safe to thaw little quick breads at room temperature and should only take 2-3 hours.
• Reheat after thawing: I find muffins taste freshly baked when I reheat them after thawing instead of from frozen.

How to Freeze Store-Bought Muffins

Can you freeze muffins from the bakery or store? Yes! They are most likely already cool, so you can go straight to transferring them in a bag, removing air with a straw, and placing them in the freezer.

Storing Other Breads and Muffins

This storing method is foolproof and works great with your favorite quick breads, gluten free muffins, mini muffins, protein bagels, or scones.

So get baking, have fun, and stock your freezer!

FAQs

Reader Favorite Muffin Recipes to Try

• Almond flour banana muffins
• Healthy banana muffins
• Healthy carrot muffins
• Healthy zucchini muffins
• Healthy blueberry muffins
• Healthy banana zucchini muffins

Easy Muffins for Beginners

• Lemon muffins
• Healthy chocolate chip muffins
• Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins
• Almond flour yogurt muffins
• Chocolate zucchini muffins
• Oat flour banana muffins

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How to Freeze Muffins

Here's a look at How to Freeze Muffins so they stay fresh for 3 months. Plus tips on thawing and reheating, so they remain fluffy.

Course Muffins and Quick Bread

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Freezing Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 11kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Ziploc bags
• Wire rack
• Large plastic container
• Straws

Ingredients

• 1-12 muffins

Instructions

• Bake muffins as per recipe and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place muffins in a gallon size Ziploc bag, as many as you can fit comfortably.
• Seal almost shut, leaving a small opening. Insert straw in it, suck out as much air as possible, remove straw and seal immediately.
• Lay muffins flat in a freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. Muffins should be frozen solid after 4 hours.

Notes

Thaw: Defrost muffins in the fridge overnight or on a countertop for 1-2 hours.

Reheat: Reheat muffins from frozen or thawed in a microwave in 30 seconds increments. Air fryer is also great for that!

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.1g

The post How to Freeze Muffins appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Store Muffins the right way! Here’s everything you need to know about keeping your homemade muffins fresh for days, weeks, or months.

To save time and money I’ll almost always make a double batch of healthy muffins, that way we can enjoy some fresh and store the rest for later because we all know they make the easiest breakfast or on-the-go snack!

But how long do muffins last? If stored correctly they’ll stay moist and flavorful for up to 3 months.

How to Store Muffins First 24 Hours

If you know the entire batch of muffins will be gobbled up in the first 24 hours, then storing muffins is easy.

Bake and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Then all you’ll need to do is cover them with a clean kitchen towel, that’s it! They’ll keep fresh at room temperature without drying out, even overnight.

How to Store Muffins for Up to 4 Days

Here’s a quick overview of how to store muffins for up to 4 days. Want a hint? The secret is paper towel.

• Cool: Let your muffins cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Storing them when they have even a little bit of warmth will result in soggy muffins.
• Line an airtight container: Grab a large plastic container and layer the bottom with paper towel, I find one large paper towel folded in half works great.
• Add muffins: Place muffins on top the paper towel in a single layer, then add another layer of paper towel on top. Don’t skip the additional layer! This will help absorb moisture from all sides.
• Store: Seal with airtight lid and store on a counter at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Why Do You Use Paper Towels?

The best way to store muffins is at room temperature, and paper towel is the key to peak freshness.

As muffins age, any moisture that forms will travel to the surface making them unpleasantly soggy. The paper towel acts like a sponge to soak up that moisture.

Another neat trick for removing moisture is using saltine crackers, just stick a few in the container.

Can I Store Muffins in the Fridge?

Most muffins no, because it alters their taste and texture. Regular whole grain muffins and banana muffins do well at room temperature.

However, some muffins are more wet than others like almond flour strawberry muffins and strawberry muffins.

Also many muffins made with almond flour, or any other nut flour, gluten free muffins have a lot of moisture. So do heavy on pumpkin puree muffins like healthy pumpkin muffins with cream cheese or any other heavy loaded fruit muffins like healthy apple muffins.

So I would say these types of muffins would benefit from refrigeration for 2 more days after initial 24 hour storage on a countertop. Then freeze after that.

Can I Freeze Muffins?

Yes! Here’s how to store muffins in the freezer and lock in flavor for up to 3 months. Also be sure to check out our full post how to freeze muffins for more tips and tricks.

Storing in a Ziploc bag is the easiest method.

In a single layer, set your muffins inside and suck out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn, I find using a straw helps. Seal the bag and set flat in the freezer.

You can also wrap each muffin in plastic wrap individually and then place in a bag.

How to Defrost Muffins

When you’re ready to enjoy a healthy treat grab a frozen muffin and let it thaw at room temperature.

Alternatively, place unwrapped muffin on paper towel and microwave, 20-30 seconds is perfect.

Top 7 Tips for Storing Muffins

• Cool in a muffin tin for 5-10 minutes: That initial 5-10 minutes in the pan allows them to cool slightly and keep their structure, but any longer in the hot pan and you run the risk of overbaked, dry muffins.
• Cool them completely: Make sure to cool muffins completely on a wire rack before storing in a container, the condensation will collect if they aren’t fully cooled.
• First 24 hours: Most muffins keep well covered with a kitchen towel on the counter for the first day.
• All muffins differ: Read your healthy muffin recipe carefully, some muffins need refrigeration after 24 hours or they get moldy fast.
• Humidity where you live matters: By the ocean, at sea level is less dry for me. If you live in the mountains or prairies, it is more dry. Any moisture from the air can make your muffins soggy but storing them in an airtight container will help.
• Replace paper towels: Check on the paper towels, if they get soggy after a day or two replace them for optimal freshness.
• Summer vs. winter: In the summer it’s more hot and more humid in most places, therefore you might have to freeze muffins sooner. Keep an eye on your muffins and watch out for signs of mold.

FAQs

Reader Favorite Muffin Recipes to Try

• Almond flour banana muffins
• Healthy banana muffins
• Healthy carrot muffins
• Healthy zucchini muffins
• Healthy blueberry muffins
• Healthy banana zucchini muffins

Easy Muffins for Beginners

• Lemon muffins
• Healthy chocolate chip muffins
• Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins
• Almond flour yogurt muffins
• Chocolate zucchini muffins
• Oat flour banana muffins

Print

How to Store Muffins

Here's everything you need to know how to store muffins fresh for days, weeks, or months the right way!

Course Muffins and Quick Bread

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 11kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Wire rack
• Large plastic container

Ingredients

• 1-12 muffins

Instructions

• Bake muffins as per recipe and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the first 24 hours, just cover them with clean kitchen towel and store on a counter.
• To store muffins for another 2-3 days, line large container with a lid with double folded paper towel. Place as many muffins on top as you can fit comfortably covering with another double folded paper towel sheet.
• Place lid on top and store on a counter for 2-3 more days.
• After transfer any leftover muffins into the freezer.

Notes

Reheat: Reheat muffins in a microwave in 15 seconds increments. Air fryer is also great for that!

Freeze: See our post on how to freeze muffins.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.1g

The post How to Store Muffins appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Cut a Whole Chicken into pieces in 10 minutes. Not only will you save money, but you’ll have enough chicken pieces for 2 dinners and the most delicious chicken broth.

With over 160 healthy chicken recipes on iFoodReal, I can confidently say chicken is our favorite protein to have on hand for easy meals. Whether it be healthy chicken salad at lunch or chicken burrito skillet at dinner, I never run out of ways to use a whole chicken after cutting it up!

Growing up in Ukraine, my grandma always made 3 meals from a whole chicken. Money was tight and grocery stores did not sell chicken pieces. Whole chicken, often from your own chicken coop, was the way to survive. Until this day, I believe it makes the most sense!

Why Learn How to Cut a Whole Chicken?

• Save money: On average, whole chicken costs $2.49/lb vs. chicken breasts at $5.99/lb – that’s twice the savings!
• Stretch the meat: Once you cut up a whole chicken, you can make Instant Pot chicken and potatoes and curry chicken salad with it. Plus bones are good for chicken broth. That’s 3 meals from 1 chicken!
• You automatically get different cuts of meat which is great to have a variety.
• Make homemade chicken broth: Often you have to buy chicken pieces and chicken bones separately if you want to make chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth. When you cut up a whole chicken, you get those as a bonus.
• Because it’s so easy: This easy step-by-step tutorial will guide you every step of the way, with tips for best practices along the way.

How to Cut a Whole Chicken

It’s worth the extra bit of effort to learn how to properly cut a whole chicken. All you need is a sharp knife and a clean flat cutting board, and you’re on your way.

• Lay chicken on its back chicken breast side up. Remove bag with giblets, if any.
• Trim fat and skin on both sides of the opening.
• Remove the tail or I like to call it “butt”. Sharp kitchen shears are great for this step.
• Cut each chicken leg at the joint where the leg meets the body. It helps to start cutting through the chicken skin and then snap the leg. You will hear a crack, so cut the muscle between 2 joints.
• Cut chicken wings the same way as chicken legs. You’ll notice there is a ball joint where the wing mets the breast (kind of like an armpit). It helps to wiggle it away from the body at first to get a sense of where you’ll start cutting.

• Pull chicken skin from the breasts using your hands and help it separate from meat with the knife along the way. It should come off very easily. This step is only necessary if you want skinless chicken breasts, otherwise leave it on.
• Flip the chicken and trim skin the same way on the back. There will be more fat attached to the chicken carcass under the skin. Trim it as well.
• Flip chicken on its back again and remove the breasts. Cut each chicken breast in the middle close to the center bone and along the ribs. The closer you get to the bone, the more bang for your buck (ie. more meat).
• That’s it. Cut up whole chicken a couple more times and you’ll soon become a pro!

Tips for Best Results

• Sharp quality knife: If you don’t yet have one, consider it a lifetime investment. I like to cut up whole chicken with sharp utility knife but you can also use a chef’s knife.
• Sharp kitchen shears are also very helpful for cutting excess fat quickly and efficiently.
• Make sure your chicken is not frozen. You can cut up only fresh whole chicken or thawed chicken.
• Pat your bird down with paper towel to make sure it’s dry, so you can properly grip it. You may need to pat dry it again later on.
• Have a sturdy, flat cutting board to work on. Make sure it’s secure and not slipping and sliding everywhere. This is my favorite sturdy, dishwasher safe cutting board.
• Clean up thoroughly when you’re done. You don’t want to leave any raw meat bacteria (salmonella) hanging around. Always wash utensils used for handling raw meat and the sink with hot soapy water.

Recipes to Use Cut Up Chicken In

Use chicken legs and chicken wings in these recipes:

• Instant Pot chicken and potatoes
• Roasted chicken thighs and potatoes
• Instant Pot chicken and rice
• Healthy fried chicken
• Air fryer chicken wings

Use chicken breasts to make these recipes:

• Baked chicken breast
• Cilantro lime chicken
• Instant Pot chicken breast
• Grilled chicken breast
• Air fried chicken breast

Use chicken thighs for these recipes:

• Grilled chicken thighs
• Oven baked chicken thighs
• Slow cooker chicken thighs

Chicken carcass is great for making soups like:

• Healthy chicken wild rice soup
• Slow cooker chicken noodle soup

How to Store

Store: Once you have cut up a whole chicken into pieces, it is ready for use in all kinds of chicken recipes. If you need to marinate the chicken, go ahead and get that started. Otherwise, refrigerate chicken parts in an airtight bag or airtight container for up to 2 days until you’re ready to use them.

Freeze: You can freeze raw chicken pieces for up to 9 months. If you’re freezing whole chicken prior to cutting it, it will keep frozen for up to 1 year. This is why buying a bunch of whole chickens when they’re on sale is a great idea!

FAQs

More How to Cut Tutorials

• How to cut an avocado
• How to cut cauliflower
• How to cut spaghetti squash
• How to peel and cut butternut squash

Whole Chicken Recipes to Try

If you don’t feel like cutting a whole chicken try it in these recipes:

• Instant Pot whole chicken
• Instant Pot whole frozen chicken
• Slow cooker whole chicken and pasta

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How to Cut a Whole Chicken

Learn How to Cut a Whole Chicken into pieces in 10 minutes. Easy step-by-step tutorial will guide you every step of the way.

Course How To

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Calories 819kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Sturdy cutting board
• Utility knife
• Kitchen shears

Ingredients

• Whole chicken

Instructions

• Lay chicken on its back breasts side up. Remove bag with giblets, if any.
• Trim fat and skin on both sides of the opening.
• Remove the tail or I like to call it “butt”. Sharp kitchen shears are great for this too.
• Cut each leg between the leg bone and the bone that is attached to the body. It helps to start cutting and then snap the leg. You will hear a crack, so cut the muscle between 2 joints.
• Cut the wings the same way as legs.
• Pull the skin from the breasts using your hands and help it separate from meat with the knife along the way. It should come off very easily. Or leave it on.
• Flip the chicken and trim skin the same way on the back. There will be more fat attached to the carcass under the skin. Trim it as well.
• Flip chicken on its back again and remove the breasts. Cut each breast in the middle close to the center bone and along the ribs.

Notes

• Store: Once you have cut your chicken into pieces it is ready for use in all kinds of dishes. If you need to marinate, go ahead and get that started. Keep them stored in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 days until you’re ready to use them.
• Freeze: Pieces of raw chicken can be kept frozen for up to 9 months. If you’re freezing a whole chicken prior to cutting it, it will keep frozen for up to 1 year. This is why buying them when they’re on sale is a great idea!

Nutrition

Serving: 1(half of the chicken) | Calories: 819kcal | Protein: 71g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 267mg

The post How to Cut a Whole Chicken appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Here is a full guide How to Freeze Bananas and use them later to make smoothies, ice cream and baked goods.

On the contrary, if you need ripe bananas for baking today, here is my full guide how to ripen bananas faster.

Why and Which Bananas are Best to Freeze?

The best bananas to freeze are yellow ripe bananas or over-ripened bananas. It helps to avoid food waste and frankly makes banana bread or banana muffins a reality anytime the mood strikes you.

I do not recommend to freeze green bananas because they lack flavor, are not sweet and will not ripen in the freezer.

So whenever you see your bananas are past their prime eating state, use this guide on how to freeze bananas and never look back.

How to Freeze Bananas in a Peel

Freezing unpeeled bananas is my go to method for saving bananas for baking. It’s so easy just to grab banana and throw it in the freezer.

Place whole unpeeled banana in the freezer. That’s it!

To thaw, place it on a plate and defrost on a counter for 2 hours. You can always speed up things by defrosting or warming it up in a microwave.

Whole frozen bananas are best for baking banana bread and banana muffins.

How to Freeze Whole and Half Bananas

Here is how to freeze bananas whole or cut in half. I recommend to freeze banana halves because they will thaw out faster and will fit into the blender or food processor easier.

• Peel and slice bananas: Peel and slice your bananas and cut them in half or leave whole. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer, leaving some space in between.
• Freeze on a baking sheet: Freeze bananas for 2 hours or until they are completely frozen.
• Transfer to a resealable bag: Transfer frozen bananas into a resealable bag, let out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Sliced Bananas

Frozen banana slices are best for making nice cream or adding to smoothies!

• Slice bananas: Peel and slice bananas into 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick rounds. Transfer onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Freeze: Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze banana slices for 1-2 hours.
• Transfer to a container: Transfer frozen banana slices into resealable Ziploc bag or airtight container, release out as much air as possible and freeze bananas for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Mashed Bananas

This method is convenient for baking. Just freeze measured amount that your favorite banana recipe calls for.

• Mash bananas: In a large bowl, add peeled bananas and mash them with a fork.
• Freeze: Measure out desired amount of mashed banana and place it in a puddle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 2 hours.
• Transfer to a container: Transfer frozen mashed banana pucks into a resealable bag, let out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Thaw Frozen Bananas

If you’re using frozen bananas for baking I recommend to thaw your bananas first. You can either defrost bananas on a counter for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight. You can also defrost frozen bananas in a microwave with a defrost setting.

Simply place frozen bananas on a plate or in a bowl and let them thaw. Please note that bananas will release a lot of water and it is normal. You want to use all that liquid that is part of the banana when baking. It helps with proper structure and taste of the recipe.

Be sure to defrost only the amount you need and place the bag with frozen bananas back in the freezer right away. If you leave frozen bananas on a counter even for 10 minutes they will quickly start defrosting and clump once you place the bag back in the freezer.

More Common FAQs

Ways to Use Frozen Bananas

Frozen bananas add amazing texture to smoothies and make the best healthy ice cream with just one ingredient – frozen bananas.

Use in recipes that require no cooking like this banana chia pudding and healthy banana cream pie. And of course frozen bananas are perfect for baking banana muffins and quick breads.

More Banana Recipes to Try

• Protein cookies
• Healthy banana pancakes
• No bake peanut butter pie
• Coconut flour banana bread
• Oat flour banana bread
• Protein banana bread
• Strawberry banana smoothie
• Healthy banana oatmeal cookies

Print

How to Freeze Bananas

Here is a full guide How to Freeze Bananas and use them later to make smoothies, ice cream and baked goods.

Course How To

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Freezing Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 5 servings

Calories 105kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Silicone bags
• Glass container

Ingredients

• 5 ripe bananas or over ripen bananas or as many as you wish

Instructions

• Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Peel bananas and cut them in half or 1 inch thick round slices. Place on baking sheet in a single layer without touching or overlapping.
• Place baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until completely frozen.
• Transfer frozen bananas to a resealable bag, let out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

You can also freeze whole bananas in their peel. Just place them in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g

The post How to Freeze Bananas appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

This post explains How to Ripen Bananas Faster in the oven so you can make your favorite banana bread recipe today. No need to wait for overripe bananas for days anymore!

When you need overripe bananas quickly to make your favorite healthy dessert, just bake it in the oven for 30 minutes and voila. Not only this is my-go to trick for baking with bananas any time, I also freeze bananas whenever I see one too ready to eat.

All banana recipes like banana muffins, banana pancakes and banana bread usually call for overripe bananas. The bananas you bring from grocery store are usually just ready to eat or too green.

Use this trick!

How to Ripen Bananas in the Oven

Here is a quick overview how to ripen bananas in the oven. It is so easy in 2 simple steps!!!

• Bake bananas: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place yellow unpeeled bananas in a single layer on large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until banana skin is brown and some liquid is oozing.
• Cool and peel: Remove baked bananas from the oven, let cool for about 15 minutes or until safe to handle, peel, mash and use in your favorite banana recipes.

Other Methods to Ripen Bananas Faster

If you have more time or do not have the oven, check out these methods how to ripen bananas faster.

• Brown paper bag method – 24-36 hours: Place yellow bananas in brown lunch bag along with high-ethylene producing fruit like ripe banana, apple, avocado or pear and close tightly. This ripening process isn’t super fast but faster than leaving bananas in the open.
• In a bunch – 24-48 hours: Leaven unripe bananas in a bunch instead of separating them. It means more ethylene emitted in one area and faster ripening.
• In a warm spot – 24-48 hours: Place a bunch of bananas in a warm spot like sunny window, near a heater or above your refrigerator.
• In air fryer – 8-10 minutes: Bake in preheated air fryer at 300 F for about 8-10 minutes. Overripe bananas should be dark brown just like with an oven method.
• In a microwave 30 seconds-2 minutes: Poke bananas with a fork to allow steam to escape. Microwave in 30 seconds increments until bananas look over ripen, are soft and fragrant.

Our Favorite Recipes Using Overripe Bananas

Our top and reader favorite recipe with over ripen bananas is this almond flour banana bread! But I have so many more because my kids love anything banana muffins, bread, pancakes and cookies.

• Oat flour banana bread
• Almond flour banana bread
• Coconut flour banana bread
• Protein banana bread
• Healthy zucchini banana bread
• Almond flour banana muffins
• Carrot banana muffins
• Pumpkin banana muffins
• Chocolate chip banana muffins
• Blueberry banana muffins
• Oatmeal banana muffins

FAQs

Storing Ripe Bananas

There is no need to throw away your ripe bananas if the yare past their prime time for eating raw. They are perfect for making baked good naturally sweet and moist.

I have put together a detailed post on how to freeze bananas. Here is a quick recap:

Throw ripe unpeeled bananas in the freezer bags in the freezer for up to 6-8 months. You can also freeze them sliced or cut in half in a resealable plastic bag.

When ready to use, just thaw your bananas on a plate on a counter first. Then peel and use it all including the liquids.

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How to Ripen Bananas Faster

How to Ripen Bananas Faster in the oven so you can make your favorite banana bread recipe today. No need to wait for overripe bananas for days anymore!

Course How To

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 31 minutes minutes

Servings 1 banana

Calories 105kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking sheet

Ingredients

• Yellow bananas

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Separate bananas and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until banana skin is brown and oozing some liquid.
• Remove from the oven, cool for 15 minutes or until safe to handle and peel. Use in your favorite banana recipes like banana bread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 banana | Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g

The post How to Ripen Bananas Faster appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Hard Boil Eggs that are easy to peel with firm whites and bright yellow yolk. This simple method will give you perfect hard boiled eggs every time!

Hard boiled eggs sprinkled with salt and pepper make a perfect snack or delicious deviled eggs and egg salad. These are my favorite ways to use them!

Today I am going to show you how to hard boil eggs on the stove however I have an honest confession to make. I prefer to make hard boiled eggs in Instant Pot because they are cooked perfectly and are easy to peel guaranteed.

My least favorite method is to cook hard boiled eggs in air fryer because it just takes so long but is an easy and convenient cooking method.

You pick how you want to make your hard boiled eggs. I just think everyone needs to have hard boiled eggs recipe in their back pocket come Easter or not.

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Here’s how to cook hard boiled eggs in less than 30 minutes. Quick, easy and ready to add to your favorite egg recipes.

• Add eggs to the pot: Place eggs in a medium pot making sure they are in a single layer. Then add cold water filling 1 inch over the surface of the eggs.
• Bring to a boil: Cover with the lid and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Turn off heat: Once boiling, turn off heat. Keep the lid on and pot on the burner.
• Set timer: Let the eggs sit for about 12 minutes. Cooking time may vary, see notes and time chart below.

• Transfer to an ice bath: Transfer cooked eggs to a large bowl of ice water and cool for 10 minutes.
• Peel the hard boiled eggs: Crack the shell by gently tapping the large round end on a hard surface then peel.

And there you have it! A foolproof method how to hard boil eggs.

How Long to Hard Boil Eggs?

How long to cook hard boiled eggs on stove truly depends on a number of factors. For example type of cookware, size and temperature of the eggs, type of stovetop and altitude.

I hard boiled my eggs for 12 minutes and it wasn’t enough, I think because of my sea level. Then I cooked for another 3-4 minutes.

Here’s a guideline to use as a starting point but you will need to experiment in order to pin point the exact time needed for you.

Tips to Prevent Hard Boiled Eggs from Cracking

Now that you know how to make hard boiled eggs, here are some tried and true tips to prevent them from cracking.

• Don’t let eggs boil vigorously: Once the water comes to a rolling boil turn off heat right away. If the water is bubbling vigorously, the eggs will likely bounce around and crack.
• Bring eggs to room temperature: Sometimes if you start with cold eggs right from the fridge the shell will crack from the shock of the temperature change.
• Don’t overcrowd the pot: Lay your eggs in a single layer, they should not be stacked or touching. A crowded pot can also change the cook time.
• Try different brand: If your eggs still crack, I recommend trying a different brand. Sometimes the egg shell has a different thickness.
• If your raw egg is cracked: Add a bit of white vinegar to the water before cooking. It helps the egg white to stay in the shell and prevents discoloration.

Tips for Peeling Hard Boiled Eggs

There are lots of tips on how to make hard boiled eggs easy to peel. Here are my go-to tricks on how to peel hard boiled eggs perfectly.

• Use older eggs: Older eggs peel easier than fresh eggs when using this cooking method.
• Tap on hard surface: Remove an egg from the ice bath and tap on the countertop, then gently roll to crack all sides before peeling.  
• Don’t crack an egg too much: I only tap 2-3 times because it’s easier to peel larger pieces of shell.
• Peel eggs under running water: The simplest way to peel perfect hard boiled eggs is to separate the membrane from the egg. Gently squeeze the egg under cold running water. Once you see the membrane pull away, run water in that area and the shell will peel away easily.
• Start at the pocket: There’s a small air pocket in between the shell and the egg, usually at the larger round end that’s opposite the pointy end. I find that’s the best place to crack for easy peel eggs.

How Long Do Hard Boiled Eggs Last?

Hard boiled eggs are one of my favorite protein-packed snacks. They can be stored peeled or unpeeled depending on your personal preference, either way makes it quick and easy to grab and go or add into your meals.

Fresh hard boiled eggs at room temperature will last for up to 2 hours.

Store peeled cooked eggs in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Unpeeled eggs last longer and can be stored uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Recipes Using Them

There are many ways to get creative with hard boiled eggs!

Besides classics like avocado deviled eggs and egg salad sandwiches, here are some of our favorite egg recipes we turn to again and again.

• In green salads: Healthy cobb salad, spinach salad and asparagus salad.
• Make tuna egg salad.
• In potato salads: Like healthy potato salad, Olivier salad, cauliflower potato salad and Instant Pot potato salad.
• In soup: Chopped hard boiled eggs are a must for green borscht.
• For breakfast: Sliced on avocado toast.

FAQs

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How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Learn How to Hard Boil Eggs that are easy to peel with firm whites and bright yellow yolk. Perfect hard boiled eggs every time!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 10 eggs

Calories 63kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Ingredients

• 10 large eggs
• Cold water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a medium pot, add eggs and enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch.
• Cover pot with a lid and bring water to a boil on high heat.
• Turn off heat and leave the pot covered with a lid on the burner for 12 minutes.*
• After transfer cooked eggs into an ice bath for 10 minutes.
• To peel the eggs, tap a few times on hard surface and remove the shell.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate peeled eggs in a container with a lid for up to 3 days. Unpeeled eggs can be refrigerated uncovered for up to a week.
• Freeze: Cooked eggs do not freeze well. The egg whites become rubbery. You can always use up the cooked eggs whites first and freeze the egg yolks.
• *Cooking time may vary due to the cookware, size and temperature of the eggs, stovetop and altitude. Adjust after the first try.

Nutrition

Serving: 1egg | Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 74mg | Sugar: 1g

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