Flavourful Goldena Yoich (Golden Chicken Broth)

This Delicious Instant Pot Yoich (Chicken Broth) can be the base to MANY other dishes!

There are a million recipes for Yoich. Even within a single family there are many different versions. Yoich is the Yiddish word for broth. Yiddish is the historical language of Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe. My Bubbie (Grandmother) and Zaidy (Grandfather) always spoke it in the home, and my Mother’s generation are fluent in the language. Although it is mostly an historical language at this point in time, there are certain words that I always use Yiddish for: Yoich is one of these. Somehow simply calling this broth doesn’t do it justice. To me, this recipe is more than chicken broth: it’s the cumulative knowledge of generations of women in my family.

Yoich is like many family recipes, and is often not a recipe per se. My Bubbie didn’t have a written recipe and knew how to make her version by heart. My Mother has her own take on it, and her Cousin, yet another, neither of which are formally written out. My recipe has been tweaked to suit my tastes, while paying homage to those before. In a modern twist, I make my Yoich in an Instant Pot which allows me to draw maximum flavour from the ingredients in less time. However, this recipe can certainly be made in a large pot on the stovetop.

This Instant Pot Goldena Yoich is a simple but satisfying broth, and is perfect on it’s own with noodles, Kreplach (meat dumplings), or Kneidlech (matzo balls). I also use my Yoich as a base for all my other soup recipes, as well as any recipe I make which calls for chicken broth. A true Yoich is golden in colour from the beautiful chicken it is made with. The addition of flanken adds a depth of flavour that cannot be created from chicken alone, while roasting the meat and onion further enhances their savoury flavour.

TOTAL TIME

• Preparation Time – 5 minutes
• Cooking Time – 3 hour and 30 minutes, plus 12 hours to chill in the fridge
• Total Time – 15 hours and 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR INSTANT POT GOLDENA YOICH

All the ingredients for Yoich are easy to source from any local grocer.

• 2 lbs Chicken
• 1 lb Flanken
• 1 large White onion
• 2 Carrots
• 2 Celery stalks
• 1/8 cup Black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp Kosher salt
• 16 cups Water

WHAT CUT OF CHICKEN SHOULD I USE?

You can use whole chickens for this recipe, or bone in, skin on, chicken thighs. The important thing is to use bones in addition to meat as the marrow adds flavour and depth to the broth. Whenever I roast a whole chicken I save the carcass after the meat as been carved, and freeze it. Additionally, whenever I butterfly a chicken for roasting, I reserve the spine and freeze it. I like to use a mixture of these bones, as well as meat on, bone in chicken thighs for my yoich. If you are using a previously roasted carcass you don’t need to roast that meat again, simply put it in the pot when everything else goes in.

CAN I COOK YOICH ON THE STOVE TOP INSTEAD OF AN INSTANT POT?

You can certainly make this dish on the stove top instead of an Instant Pot, but you will need to allow more time. Instead of transferring the roasted meat etc into the Instant Pot, you will transfer them to a large pot. The Yoich will have to simmer on medium low heat for about 6 hours to achieve the same result.

WHAT IS FLANKEN?

Flanken is the Yiddish word for beef short ribs. This cut of beef has beautiful flavour that is best prepared by a slow cook, or in a pressure cooker. The flanken in this recipe is perfectly delicious after the yoich is finished, and should definitely not be thrown away.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I USE TURKEY INSTEAD OF CHICKEN?

Turkey is not a traditional ingredient in Yoich, however if you prefer the taste you could certainly substitute it for chicken. A roast turkey carcass could easily be used instead of chicken.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT CUT OF BEEF?

Flanken works best in this recipe because it has flavourful meat as well as bones. The marrow in the bones adds to the flavour and depth of the broth, making it even more delicious. However, if you cannot find shortribs, you could substitute a cut of brisket or flank steak.

CAN I USE GROUND BLACK PEPPER INSTEAD OF PEPPERCORNS?

I would not recommend this substitution. Whole peppercorns add the flavour of the pepper, without any of the heat from the ground version. All of the peppercorns are removed after cooking, leaving none in the broth when served.

EQUIPMENT FOR FLAVOURFUL INSTANT POT YOICH

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Instant Pot Yoich:

• Large pot

• Instant Pot – I find the Instant Pot to be a wonderful tool for the preparation of soups. It allows me to walk away while they are cooking without concern, and it reduces the cooking time for a flavourful broth by at least half . I highly recommend purchasing this tool if you like to make homemade broth and soups.

• Large strainer

• Cheese cloth

• Baking tray – These are the best baking pans I have found. They are light and easy to use, they have a lip which retains liquids without runoff, and most importantly they do not warp in the oven. I highly recommend them.

• Parchment paper – I always use Paper Chef parchment paper to line my pans. This ensures my easy cleanup and release from the pan. After trying many brands, this is the only one I ever purchase.

• Mesh ladle

COOKING DIRECTIONS

This goldena yoich is lovely on it’s own, and makes a beautiful base for many soups and recipes. I like to save the flanken, and any cooked chicken for other meals: nothing goes to waste here. Three simple steps will ensure your Instant Pot Yoich turns out perfectly each and every time:

1. Roast the flanken and chicken until golden before adding them to the pot.
2. Use a large pot: you will need to accommodate a large quantity of meat, vegetables, and water in this recipe.
3. Leave the soup to chill overnight. This will allow the fat to solidify so that it can be skimmed, thus ensuring a flavourful broth without a greasy aftertaste.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

The ingredients for this recipe cannot be made in advance.

Your Flavourful Instant Pot Yoich can be kept in the fridge for up to four days, and freezes perfectly in an airtight container. I like to keep frozen yoich on hand at all times.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy your Flavourful Instant Pot Yoich!

OTHER INSTANT POT DISHES

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Instant Pot Lemon Saffron Risotto

OTHER CHICKEN DISHES

Apricot Chicken Drumsticks

Roasted Chicken with Mushroom Farfel

Chicken and Bacon Orzo

Breaded Chicken Pasta

OTHER SOUP DISHES

Fluffy Matzo Ball Soup

Chicken and Potato Soup with Leeks

Seafood Chowder

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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