---
title: "Stew This: The Healthiest Hens On The Market"
description: Stewing hens have an abundance of rich flavor which can be extracted by cooking the hens over low heat, submerged in liquids, spices, and herbs. A long, slow, cook time with low heat and plenty of liquids is needed to break this tissue down; which, in turn, flavors the broth.
image: https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hubfs/pasture-raised-stewing-hen-broth.jpg
---

[![wop-logo-black-desktop@2x](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png?width=280&name=wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png)](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com)

# Stew This: The Healthiest Hens On The Market

Posted by [White Oak Pastures Team](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/recipes/author/white-oak-pastures-team)   
 Jan 25, 2019 7:00:00 AM

We'll just go ahead and say it: we believe White Oak Pastures’ [**Pasture-Raised Stewing Hens**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/poultry/pastured-poultry-stewing-hen.asp) make the best stews, soups, and broths. Our ladies get plenty of activity, spending their days laying eggs, scratching the soil to forage for grub, and roosting in our pastures. Compared to hens on conventional farms, our unconfined, pasture-raised hens can produce higher levels of Vitamins A, E, and Omega Fatty Acids.

After a healthy, long life, our hens develop a lot of connective tissue from all their activity. Connective tissue is incredibly rich in vitamins, minerals, and flavor but not well-suited for fast preparations (like grilling), because it takes a long time to break down and become soft.

## **The key to unlocking the magic of stewing hens? Slow cooking.**

A long cook time over low heat breaks down the connective tissue in stewing hens and extracts nutrition and flavor. Cooking a stewing hen submerged in liquid, spices, and herbs releases the kind of rich flavor that Great-Grandma legends are made of.

(Not sure you have the time to make the broth yourself? We offer [**Pastured Poultry Bone Broth**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/artisan/pastured-poultry-home-made-chicken-stock.asp) and [**Grassfed Beef Bone Broth**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/artisan/home-made-grass-fed-beef-stock.asp), made in our on-farm commissary kitchen.)

 

# Alli’s Stewing Hens

[![Alli’s Stewing Hens Pasture-Raised Poultry Broth](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/pasture-raised-stewing-hen-broth.jpg?width=600&name=pasture-raised-stewing-hen-broth.jpg)](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/giftpack/stewing-hen-package.asp)**  
Ingredients**

- 1 [White Oak Pastures Stewing Hen](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/poultry/pastured-poultry-stewing-hen.asp) (or a hen from our bundle [Bird Box](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/giftpack/stewing-hen-package.asp))
- garlic
- celery
- onions
- carrots
- parsley
- 3 bay leaves
- Himalayan salt
- black peppercorns
- 4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Place stewing hen and vegetables of choice in a pot and cover with water. Add all spices, herbs, and apple cider vinegar. Cook on low heat and slowly bring to a simmer. Simmer a minimum of 4 hours or up to the preferred 24 hours. Remove chicken carcass and place in a bowl to cool. Remove meat from the bone to make stews, soups, tacos, chicken salad and casseroles.

Prep time: 15 minutes  
Cook time: 24:00  
Total time: 24:15  
Yield: 4 quarts (16 servings)

Calories: 18  
Fat: 1.3g

 

 

**Need some visuals? Check out our "Cooking a Stewing Hen" tutorial on Youtube!**

 

And if you love our stewing hens, check out some of our other broth, stew, and bone-related items:

- [**Grassfed Beef Marrow Bones**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/beef/grass-fed-beef-marrow-bones.asp) (which come [**Canoe Cut**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/beef/grass-fed-beef-canoe-marrow-bones.asp) too)
- [**Grassfed Beef Knuckle Bones**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/beef/grass-fed-beef-knuckle-bones.asp)
- [**Chicken Bones for Broth**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/poultry/pasture-raised-poultry-chicken-cages.asp)
- [**Grassfed Beef Oxtail Sliced**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/beef/grass-fed-beef-oxtail.asp)
- [**Shelf Stable Grassfed Beef Tallow**](https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/pc_product_detail.asp?key=FF7E03FDCFBE4176A5FAB5285E657A78)

---

| [![social-instagram-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-instagram-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-instagram-circle-black-bordered.png) ](https://www.instagram.com/whiteoakpastures/) | [![social-facebook-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-facebook-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-facebook-circle-black-bordered.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/whiteoakpastures/) | [![social-linkedin-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-linkedin-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-linkedin-circle-black-bordered.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/whiteoakpastures) | [![social-twitter-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-twitter-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-twitter-circle-black-bordered.png)](https://twitter.com/whiteoakpasture) | [![social-youtube-circle-black-bordered](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-youtube-circle-black-bordered.png?width=32&name=social-youtube-circle-black-bordered.png)](https://www.youtube.com/c/whiteoakpastures) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |

## → [Return to Blog Home](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog)

Keep reading about our three core values:

[Regenerative Agriculture](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/topic/regenerative-land-management) • [Animal Welfare](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/topic/animal-welfare) • [Rural Revival](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/topic/rural-community)

For cooking tips and original recipes, check out our recipe blog:

[![Grassfed & Pastured Recipes](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2583041/2f7fdfac-5e11-4f54-9187-f53c30176dd8.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2583041/2f7fdfac-5e11-4f54-9187-f53c30176dd8)

![White Oak Pastures logo](https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png?width=280&name=wop-logo-black-desktop@2x.png)

© 2021 White Oak Pastures

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "Recipe",
  "aggregateRating" : {
    "@context" : "http://schema.org",
    "@type" : "AggregateRating",
    "bestRating" : "5",
    "ratingCount" : "1",
    "ratingValue" : "5",
    "reviewCount" : "1",
    "worstRating" : "1"
  },
  "author" : "White Oak Pastures",
  "cookTime" : "PT24H00M",
  "description" : "Stewing hens have an abundance of rich flavor which can be extracted by cooking the hens over low heat, submerged in liquids, spices, and herbs. They are not suited for fast preparations such as grilling because as the stewing hens’ muscles get older, they develop connective tissue. A long, slow, cook time with low heat and plenty of liquids is needed to break this tissue down; which, in turn, flavors the broth. With our pasture-raised hens and this recipe, you’ll be the talk of the town…..in a good way!",
  "image" : "https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hubfs/pasture-raised-stewing-hen-broth.jpg",
  "keywords" : "stewing hen",
  "name" : "Alli's Stewing Hens",
  "nutrition" : {
    "@context" : "http://schema.org",
    "@type" : "NutritionInformation",
    "calories" : "18"
  },
  "prepTime" : "PT00H15M",
  "recipeCategory" : "entree",
  "recipeCuisine" : "Comfort",
  "recipeIngredient" : [ "1 White Oak Pastures stewing hen", "garlic", "celery", "onions", "carrots", "parsley", "3 bay leaves", "Himalayan salt", "black peppercorns", "4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar" ],
  "recipeInstructions" : "Place stewing hen and vegetables of choice in a pot and cover with water. Add all spices, herbs, and apple cider vinegar. Cook on low heat and slowly bring to a simmer. Simmer a minimum of 4 hours or up to the preferred 24 hours. Remove chicken carcass and place in a bowl to cool. Remove meat from the bone to make stews, soups, tacos, chicken salad and casseroles.",
  "recipeYield" : "4 Quarts",
  "review" : {
    "@context" : "http://schema.org",
    "@type" : "UserReview",
    "author" : "White Oak Pastures",
    "reviewRating" : {
      "@context" : "http://schema.org",
      "@type" : "Rating",
      "bestRating" : "5",
      "ratingValue" : "5",
      "worstRating" : "1"
    }
  },
  "video" : "https://youtu.be/MpNI2wZ99CM"
}
```