• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Explore Cook Eat

  • Recipes Home
  • 1,000 Foods to Eat Project
  • MUST Try Korean Dishes!
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • USA
    • Asia
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Europe
  • Travel
    • USA
      • New Mexico
      • Texas
      • Utah
      • North Carolina
    • Japan
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

Home » Recipes

How To Cook A Stewing Hen!

Feb 25, 2021Last Modified: August 9, 2022

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post explains how to cook a Stewing Hen!

B&B Poultry Stewing Hen
Jump to:
  • What Is a Stewing Hen?
  • What Is The Best Way To Cook A Stewing Hen?
  • Stewing Hen Broth
  • Stewing Hen Meat
  • Why Should You Bother With A Stewing Hen?
  • What I Created With My Stewing Hen Broth and Meat
  • Let's Honor A Stewing Hen 🙂
  • Some Other Dishes You May Enjoy!
  • How To Cook A Stewing Hen

What Is a Stewing Hen?

The first time I saw a stewing hen was in the frozen section of my local Asian market. I was intrigued because I had never seen one before.

A stewing hen is a hen that is unable to produce eggs much anymore, or an egg layer that has been retired. Due to this, farmers normally have to cull them to make way for new egg layers. Using a stewing hen in cooking is a way to honor the entire life cycle of the bird, which I absolutely love.

What Is The Best Way To Cook A Stewing Hen?

Stewing Hen with a white plate in the background

The stewing hen is very lean and has a lot of connective tissue. Therefore, they require a long and slow cooking process to make them tender. So, the best way to cook a stewing hen is in your crockpot or slow cooker!

Stewing hen in a crockpot with celery, carrots, onion, garlic and peppercorns

It really couldn't be simpler! Place the stewing hen in a crockpot and add some cut up celery, carrots, onion, garlic cloves and peppercorns. Cover with water, then cook on a low setting for 12 hours. Mostly hands off, and you will have an AMAZING broth and tender meat in the end!

Stewing Hen Broth

This resulting broth from cooking the stewing hen in the crockpot for so many hours is RICH and flavorful. Strain the solids from the liquid after cooking to obtain this amazing broth.

If you watch this video, I compare a broth from a stewing hen vs a broth from a chicken. Note the difference in color!

This broth can be used for the most delicious soups and stews!

Stewing Hen Meat

The meat from the stewing hen is lovely and tender after 12 hours of cooking in the crockpot. Trying to roast a stewing hen will result in tough as anything meat so you don't want to go there! Crockpot is definitely the way to go!

Stewing Hen meat

You can use this lovely and tender meat for any number of dishes. 🙂

Why Should You Bother With A Stewing Hen?

It's totally worth bringing a stewing hen home and working with it! Here are the reasons...

  • You honor this animal who has worked so hard to produce eggs for us to enjoy. I'm so happy that they are sold on the market for us to honor them by using them up completely and not letting anything go to waste. 🙂
  • They produce the most INCREDIBLE flavored broth that you can use for soups and stews...just like the name implies!
  • They are not expensive, and you can enjoy budget friendly meals by utilizing the stewing hen.
  • After cooking them properly (low and slow), you will have a most tender and delicious meat from the stewing hen that you can use in any number of dishes that require chicken/meat.

What I Created With My Stewing Hen Broth and Meat

I decided to use this most flavorful stewing hen broth and meat in a Chicken and Wild Rice Soup which was AMAZING!

Chicken and wild rice soup in a bowl

Basically all I did was add the broth to a saucepan, along with some wild rice. Bring to the boil, and simmer until the wild rice is cooked. Add some cut up veggies...I used carrots and celery. Cook until softened, then add the tender meat from the stewing hen, and season to taste.

Let's Honor A Stewing Hen 🙂

So, next time you happen to see a stewing hen at your grocery store, I do hope you will bring one home. Cooking with it truly does honor the entire life cycle of an amazing creature that gave its all. ❤️

You can use the broth and meat in a chicken and wild rice soup, like I did. Or you can use the broth to enrich other dishes that call for it, and the delicious tender meat can be enjoyed in a myriad of other meals!

Bon Appetit!!

Some Other Dishes You May Enjoy!

Easy Fall Apart Tender Barbacoa Tacos

Barbacoa Taco

Easy Shrimp Gumbo Using Zatarain's Gumbo Mix

Shrimp Gumbo

If you'd like to come along on this food journey with me, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here. 🙂

Cheers!

Grace

Stewing Hen in a crockpot

How To Cook A Stewing Hen

Grace
Cooking a stewing hen shows love and honor for a bird who has given its all during its life as an egg layer. Best cooked low and slow in a crockpot which will result in a fabulous broth and tender meat!
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 12 hrs
Additional Time For Cooking Chicken and Wild Rice Soup 1 hr
Total Time 13 hrs 5 mins
Course broth, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 137 kcal

Equipment

  • Crockpot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 stewing hen
  • water enough to cover the ingredients in the crockpot
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 1 celery cut into a few pieces
  • 1 carrot peeled and chopped into 2" pieces
  • few whole black peppercorns I just sprinkled a few in

For Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

  • 4-6 cups Stewing Hen broth
  • ¾-1 cup wild rice
  • 1 carrot peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 1 celery cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1.5 cups Stewing hen meat picked off the bones
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions
 

To Cook The Stewing Hen

  • Add the stewing hen and other ingredients to a crockpot. Cover the ingredients with water.
    Stewing hen in a crockpot with celery, carrots, onion, garlic and peppercorns
  • Set to low heat, cover, and cook for 12 hrs.
    https://explorecookeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/stewing-hen-in-crockpot.mp4
  • Allow to cool a bit, then separate the ingredients from the broth. Skim the fat from the top of the broth if you like.
    Stewing Hen broth
  • Pick the meat from the bones of the stewing hen.
    Stewing Hen meat

To Make Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

  • Add the stewing hen broth and wild rice to a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
  • Lower to a simmer, and cook until the wild rice is tender, around 45-50 minutes.
  • Add the cut up carrots and celery for the last 10 minutes of the time your rice is cooking. Cook the vegetables until softened.
  • Add the stewing hen meat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
    Chicken and wild rice soup

Notes

Everything presented here can be followed directly or used as guidelines.  Feel free to mix things up!  Add other vegetables, herbs or seasonings as you desire.  The main thing is to feel good about being able to honor the life of the stewing hen!
You will enjoy great flavorful broth and delicious tender meat when cooked low and slow in the crockpot.  
Use the broth wherever chicken broth is called for and the meat can be thrown into enchiladas or quesadillas, for example.  Or you can utilize both in a fantastic Chicken and Wild Rice Soup!

Nutrition

Calories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 5gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 41mgPotassium: 327mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5192IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
Keyword broth, Chicken, Soup, stew
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
« Easy and Delicious Scottish Mince and Tatties!
Melt In Your Mouth Dong Po Rou Chinese Braised Pork Belly! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christine

    November 26, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    5 stars
    I love this post! I picked up a “stewing fowl” at the Asian market yesterday. It was the first time that I’d seen them for sale. I love what you said about “honouring the entire life cycle”. I’m going to try cooking it in the slow cooker as you suggest and add it to congee and make some tacos. Your recipes look amazing! I can tell that you cook from the heart and respect the ingredients 😋

    Reply
    • Grace

      December 11, 2021 at 5:53 pm

      Dear Christine, thank you so very much for your kind comments! I sincerely apologize for my delayed response as I have been on vacation. I am truly honored by what you said and I do hope that you will love cooking with the stewing fowl❤️. Adding it to congee and using it for tacos sounds tremendous! If you have a chance I would love to get your feedback on how and if you enjoyed cooking the stewing fowl. Wishing you a most wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! Grace

      Reply
  2. Victoria

    January 20, 2022 at 3:05 pm

    I bought the same brand of stewing hen but forgot to ask whether I have to prepare it first, like remove giblets or insides or whatever. Or is it ready to go into the crockpot right away? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Grace

      January 20, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      Hi Victoria! Great question and sorry I hadn't addressed that in the post. If there are any giblets please remove those. Other than that it's ready to go into the crockpot! I certainly hope you will enjoy the process and also the lovely meat and broth. I would be honored if you would let me know how it turns out for you. Thanks so much and take good care! Grace

      Reply
  3. Barbara

    February 09, 2022 at 5:01 am

    5 stars
    Good recipe! While your recipe is tried and sure, I was wondering if you would get good results if the stew hen were used for coq au vin? If so, recipe/cook times?

    Reply
    • Grace

      February 09, 2022 at 2:58 pm

      Hi Barbara! Thank you for your comments and questions! To be honest I have never made coq au vin with a stewing hen, but I certainly think it would work! Using a crock pot method with a long and slow cooking time (10-12 hrs) the meat will become tender and the juices will mingle with the Burgundy wine which would be out of this world! Would add carrots, onion, garlic, shallot, bay leaf, some salt pork and season with salt and pepper. Your question has given me a challenge to make this dish with the stewing hen! I have it on my list to make now and will let you know how it turns out! In the meantime should you give it a go I would love to hear your results! Thank you so so much for your question! Have an awesome day! Grace

      Reply
  4. Jeff B.

    April 04, 2022 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    I picked up a fresh (!) stewing hen at a local Asian grocery store today because I couldn't believe the difference in price ($3.99 for a stewing hen vs. $12 for a roasting chicken of roughly the same weight) and then I got thinking "OK, now what?", so I checked your post out. I'm glad I did because it seems really simple, I might even let it simmer in my slow cooker overnight. Thanks for the ideas, if this works out I will use it for my mother's chicken and dumplings recipe, I've always wanted to try it.

    Reply
    • Grace

      April 04, 2022 at 1:33 pm

      Hey there Jeff! Thanks so very much for your comments and I'm so happy you picked up that stewing hen! I do hope the recipe works out for you and I would absolutely love to know if you do end up using it for your mom's chicken and dumplings! So all the very best, and enjoy the experience of cooking a stewing hen! Cheers! Grace

      Reply
  5. Mary

    October 15, 2022 at 9:42 am

    Thanks for the recipe! Do you add the water up to the top of the chicken, or just high enough to cover the veggies?

    Reply
    • Grace

      October 15, 2022 at 12:11 pm

      Hi Mary! Thanks so much for your question! You can add water to cover the top of the chicken. I do hope you will enjoy preparing your stewing hen and would love to know how it turns out. I hope you have a wonderful day! Grace

      Reply
  6. Amy Stone

    November 01, 2022 at 6:30 am

    5 stars
    Most of my 8 chickens just stopped laying, and since they were molting and it is the start of winter, I honorably harvested them and now will eat them. Thanks so much for the recipe. these chickens had almost 3 wonderful years running around our hobby farm. commercial chickens live in horrible conditions for a few months at best. We will get new chicks in the spring and start the process again.

    Reply
    • Grace

      November 01, 2022 at 9:07 am

      Dear Amy, thank you so very much for your comments which have truly warmed my heart. I too feel so very sorry for the commercial chickens and I love your love for your chickens and that you are honoring their entire life cycle.❤️ I want to wish you a wonderful day and holiday season ahead. Take good care, Grace ❤️

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Sign up so that you never miss the greatest recipes!

About Me

Hi I’m Grace! I'm married and a mom to my fur baby, Toby, and food and travel are two of my greatest passions! Since our bank account does not allow us to travel or eat out as much as we'd like, I decided I would cook delicious meals that could give us a taste of all the places we'd like to go. My goal is to get you in the kitchen, and inspire you to cook and taste delightful meals that will transport you too. Let’s throw some actual travel in from time to time, all with an emphasis on keeping your wallet full and happy as well. Let’s get cooking and let’s start exploring!! I'm excited to be on this journey with you!!

By the way most of these recipes are Toby taste tested and Toby approved!!

Chief Taste Tester Toby

Toby Chief Taste Tester

Recent Posts

  • Crispy Garlicky Roast Chicken Recipe
  • DELISH South Carolina Benne Wafers Recipe
  • Middle Eastern Style Cabbage Salad Recipe
  • Roasted Carrots With Berbere Spice Recipe
  • Perfectly Pan Fried Rainbow Trout Recipe

Recent Comments

  • Grace on All About Samyang 2x Spicy Buldak Ramen!
  • Alexis on All About Samyang 2x Spicy Buldak Ramen!
  • Grace on Easy and Delicious Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburgers!
  • Grace L Henrie on Easy and Delicious Connecticut Steamed Cheeseburgers!
  • Grace on How To Cook Korean Short Ribs In The Oven

Archives

Categories

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Footer

Amazon Associates Disclosure

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Explore Cook Eat on the Foodie Pro Theme