Chicken stock quick question

Hi all

In my ongoing endeavours to be less wasteful, I thought I'd use the remains of yesterday's roast chicken to make chicken stock for some soup.

Do I just chuck the bones in the pan or do I chuck in the whole lot, skin and all?

How long do I boil/simmer it for before I add it to the pre-soaked broth mix?

Any other tips?

 

Best to take the skin off, you would have to raise the fat later anyway. Need to simmer bones and any other bits in some water for a good 3 hours, there is good flavor in the bones. Add a carrot, celery and onion, chopped up for added flavor. Then, strain the hot broth into a good bowl, put bowl in fridge for a few hours, any fat will rise to the top, skim off the yellow fat and throw out, now you have chicken stock.

The other way of doing it, is from a complete raw chicken, the whole thing in a large stock pot, simmer cook for 3-5 hours in water with same veggies as above. Carefully lift the whole chicken out into a bowl for picking later, strain the broth again and then same steps as above. But now you have some chicken you can throw into the pot for chicken soup. Add more carrots, celery, onions, later put noodles in the broth, for chicken noodle soup.---yummy.

 

Thanks Redstar.

It seems then that my plans have gone a bit pair shaped, as I was planning on making the soup for this evening. I didn't realise I was looking at many hours for the simmering and then waiting for the fat to come up. Perhaps I should have started last night straight after carving up the roast. Oh well, I know for next time now, thanks for the info.

 

Yep, its a little work, the homemade stuff.
There is always cans of chicken stock from the store to put up in your pantry for the sudden urges.
Then all you need is diced carrots some celery, bay leaf and chunks of chicken and boil up some noodles.
Or even easier, canned chicken soup with all that stuff in it already.

 

Well I made some. Due to time contraints I didn't go to the lengths you suggested this time, so the result was probably not as good as it could have been.

I boiled the bones for about 2 hours with some rosemary, and let it cool. I'd already soaked some broth mix. I strained the broth mix, and chucked in a couple of home grown spuds, a chilli pepper that has been in the cupboard probably a bit too long, an old onion that although fine, was not likely to be used for much else as we have loads of better onions in, and half a cabbage that was too small to be used in a main meal, and one small carrot that would probably have gone past it before we used it for anything else. I chucked in the last bits of chicken that I'd managed to salvage, and strained the stock into the mix. I added a teaspoon of Thai curry powder for extra flavour, and boiled it until the tatties had gone soft.

We got a big pan of soup where most of the ingredients would have otherwise ended up in the bin.

For my next project, I'm going to look at Bread and Butter pudding. I believe this is mostly made out of slightly stale bread, and the crusts, that would otherwise go in the bin.

My nana was a grand guru of avoiding food waste. She had all the knowledge stored in her head, and never bothered to write it down (I guess why would she? she knew what to do she didn't need to read up on it). Just a shame she passed away 30 years ago and took all her knowledge to the grave. The way the world is panning out now, that knowledge would have been popular and very useful I reckon.

 

Good for you Clueless.
Couple of things here: As you know over here we have Thanksgiving--Huge dinner type, and the main attraction is a Turkey. A last minute ditch effort to get all the goodness out of that bird is called "Turkey Bone Soup". The bones and what ever remains on the bones are simmered for several hours, then an gathering of veggies thrown in along with herbs, boil up some noodles and thats supper. A friend of mine says her husband just loves that soup. I also make from the left over turkey, a Turkey pot pie for the freezer for later in January.

OK--next thing--My favorite way of making French Toast is by using week old hard as nails french bread. I slice it up about 2 inches and have all the slices sit in a bath of 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon vanilla and about 2 cups of milk. This sits covered for about 3 hours in fridge, then
the slices are turned over and more liquid mixture is added, and it remains over night in fridge. The next morning, I get my oven on to 350. Then I just fry up the cut sides of the slices, then put them on a baking sheet into the oven for about 30 mins. They come out so pretty and puffy and yummy.

So, Clueless if you take the same mixture idea with your stale bread ect. let it sit overnight to absorb the mixtures and add raisins if wish since your not working with slices but baking the whole thing. It would work. However you can also google for ideas.
You can also use crusts for stuffing for the chicken.
And old bread makes great filler for meatballs. Soak the bread in just a little milk and proceed with your meatballs Or just meat loaf--put the old bread in it.

Is nice to have good memories of your nana.

 

Chicken stock was one of the first "use it up" that my mother taught me when I first married. I've made it this way every since except now I use a slow cooker (which, I have a feeling I've read somewhere that you have? )
Everything goes in the slow cooker, I include the skin because it adds to the flavour - especially as you are using a roasted chicken. I add an onion, peppercorns, celery and a bay leaf. Either I add the vegetable water (from where I've steamed the veg for Sunday dinner) or, some kettle water. The level of water needs to cover the bones completely. It is set on high until it comes to boil, then reduced to low to simmer away in its own little world while I get on with something else. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavour, but a minimum of 2hrs simmering is best.

You do not *have* to wait for it to cool before removing any layers of fat which will form; it forms a thin layer on the top of the stock and can removed by laying kitchen paper along the top (briefly) which absorbs the fat. Nor will you be able to remove every last vestige of fat. A little fat improves the flavour; too much fat will destroy the texture.

Once cooked, strain the stock from the bones. Now, at this point you have some options:-
a) reduce the stock down (stick in a saucepan; bring to boil and boil furiously until it has reduced by half) This has the effect of really concentrating the flavour - thus, you will use less and is handy for reducing space if you intend to freeze any.
b) pick over those bones; you may be surprised at the amount of meat it yields and this can be used in your "soup" which you make with your stock, broth mix, bits and bobs.

Chicken stock is fabulous to have on hand in the fridge and freezer and can be used in soups, gravies, risotto's (another good use of left over roast chicken ), casseroles, sauces etc.

Never let an opportunity pass you by to get some homemade stock in the freezer.

 

All of the contents of this thread are making me feel very hungry and it's only 4 o'clock in the afternoon!

 

Had pork this weekend - all gone

 

Difficult to buy these days Shiney. Can you still find them near you?

 

Quite right, shiney, they do make the best stock; but as most people rely on the supermarkets (because they have been forced to - don't get my soap box ) you rarely see capon or old cockerels these days. As you say, capons are seasonal anyway.

I "grow" my own