I wouldn't keep in the fridge probably more than 3 or 4 days...5 at the outside. Freeze it now if you want to keep longer. This is an uninformed opinion, but that's what I'd do.

I follow Mark Bittman's guideline: 4 to 5 days, longer if you boil it every 3rd day.

In practice though I'd freeze it if I wasn't planning to use it within those 4 to 5 days - the boiling is only if plans change and I'm really sure I'll use it within the next couple days.

I usually get a week at most from homemade stock in the fridge.

I freeze mine once cool to fridge temp....and leave out a pint or two for soup or stew i plan to make with-in a couple days. (a personal 2-3 day limit even though 4-5 is said to be fine.)

Ball jars freeze fine if they are the wide mouth, straight sided ones, and have a freeze fill line embossed in the glass. A bend at the top near the mouth are the ones that will crack if used for freezing.

Personally, I like to freeze it by day 3, and usually make it into cubes in an ice cube tray for easy use, or lay flat in a zip-lock bag. I've had a canning jar break in the freezer, and what a pain somewhere lower than the neck it was to clean-up.

A pretty good resource for finding out how long things last, check out Still Tasty - http://stilltasty.com/

I found this information in the book, "The Heal Your Gut Cookbook" by Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett. The layer of fat was something I'd never heard/read before. It doesn't alter my original post, I just found it interesting. -Grainlady

To Keep or Not to Keep?
When Broth (or Stock) Goes Bad

"...according to GAPS chef Monica Corrado. If your broth is sealed with a layer of fat, then you are good to go for about six months! If the broth is exposed to air, on the other hand, it is good in the fridge for five to seven days. In this case, when you take it out, bring it to a boil, skim the scum--and you will have another week to use it. If you ever find it smells off, toss it out. Likewise, if you bring it to a boil and the scum keeps coming and coming--again, it's time to throw it out! ..."

Yeah I've seen that claim about the fat layer sealing stuff, but I haven't been able to verify it. Would seem like there's a lot of food that would keep a lot longer if we didn't skim the fat, if it were true.

As best as I know, it's sort of true. The fat layer seals the ick out of what's underneath it and prevents the degradation that air brings, but the fat itself can go rancid, etc., so you have to get to it before the fat rots.

With a lot of these things, it depends on the general health of the eater. Besides children and old people, sick people and those with chronic ailments, some people are just prone to food poisoning. Like a lot of bacterial infections, it seems like when the people get better they haven't completely eliminated the bacteria, just knocked them back far enough that their immunities can keep everything under control. Exposure to something that's just a little dicey, that most people wouldn't even know was tainted, can make them really sick.

IF everyone who is going to be eating it has a "strong stomach" and healthy immune system, it's probably safe to eat so long as it doesn't look or smell rotten and has been well boiled (bubbling for 20 minutes) to eliminate bad bacteria. I don't know how nutritious it is at that point, but it probably won't make you sick. Fresh food, properly handled and cleaned, or conscientiously preserved food, are better bets. The question isn't *can* you eat it, but should you.

sleevendog, I freeze apple cider in canning jars, including those regular mouth jars with shoulders. I find that if I leave plenty of headspace, those freeze fine too.

Annie

I have as well Annie. But just as a basic rule, i like to recommend using the wide mouth. I did have a regular ball jar crack with maple syrup, Our liquid gold, : ( It could have been a newer weak jar?...and was not full at all. My older vintage jars have never cracked in the freezer. In the summer i fill them 1/4 full with water, a half dozen ready for iced tea as i like drinking out of glass with a lid for gardening and taking along in the car...and did have one of those blow/crack the bottom off. It could be the freezer cooling too fast? or the newer box of jars. The 'new old stock' box of jars i picked up at a yard sale do seem much better quality. It does make nervous after a couple of breaks.

As to the fat layer...i can see some valid points. And i like that fat layer when a stock is in the fridge chilling. Does 'feel' sealed until i can get it prepped and in the freezer, but why depend on that for a storage solution when it is being used for future stock and I'm prepping for the freezer anyway?. Chill it as quick as possible and into the freezer asap is my goal.

Broth stored in the refrigerator with the fat layer intact does keep a lot longer than without the fat layer, in my experience. "Larding" is an old preservation technique that you might like to research.

Without the fat layer, I don't keep broth in the refrigerator for more than 3-4 days.

If I have freezer space, I freeze in various size milk cartons--from the 1/2 pint whipping cream size up to 1/2 gallon. These stack nicely due to their square shape, are free for the saving, can be re-used several times (disinfect with a little bleach in water), defrost in the microwave or peel away the carton & add to the pot in a frozen state. Label & date with a Sharpie (before filling to avoid problems using the Sharpie because of condensation on the carton.) And no worry about breaking. I staple the top closed before I freeze. Just remember to remove the staples if you defrost in the microwave.

Often as not, I end up canning the broth because my freezer is full. Am on the lookout for a tall pressure canner that will accommodate 1/2 gallon sized jars since I often need 2 qts of broth when making soup--and I'd rather use half as many canning lids if possible. I know there are all sorts of warnings about canning 1/2 gallon sizes but, because broth isn't dense, I'm not especially worried about the risks.