Chicken Stock how long does it keep?

Primrose

You seem to have had plenty of responses already but here's my two pennyworth.
Yes, we freeze lots of chicken stock. I usually use the ZipClip type bags sold by Lakeland which work well as they take up less freezer space than solid plastic containers. I also freeze smaller amounts of chicken stock in clean empty one pint milk bottles.(Leave one inch of expansion room as the mixture will expand slightly when it freezes and you don't want to force the screw top to burst off). Thaw it out overnight at room temperature or put the plastic milk bottle with cap removed into a bowl on the Microwave defrost
programme so that if the stock turns too liquid, any overspill will drain into the bowl.
I also use empty milk bottles for freezing various soups which I have first whizzed up with my stick blender. Obviously thick soups with chunky bits in them won't easily be poured through the top of the milk bottle but purreed soups work well stored in this way.

morganlefay

Thanks everyone for help. I think I will chuck it, but I am always a bit baffled about keeping food. My stock has been in the fridge for about 2 weeks, it doesn't smell 'off', but I suspect we'd all chuck it - tho my wartime Mum would doubtless have used every nourishing thing that she had, so are we just being wasteful, have we weakened our immunity to slightly elderly food or are we just educated into being more careful than our parents ? I find I do have to chuck things I'd forgotten just because they seem too old to eat even if they smell fine (I have a very keen sense of smell so would know if they were nasty). The answer is not to forget to freeze it next time !
Thanks, all.....

bitsandpieces

I normally eat within a day or two. I've got a portion of chicken stock made on Monday sat in the fridge, though - haven't felt up to cooking for a few days. Would you chuck it or cook it?

Swan_2

I've used chicken stock that's been in the fridge for more than a week & lived to tell the tale, but I realise it's not everyone who'd want to do that

I have a sniff, & if it smells ok I taste it, & if it tastes ok then I'll use it

Pink.

Hi bitsandpieces,

I have kept stock in the fridge for longer than I really should have done. Like swan, I used all my senses, if it looked ok then I smelt it, if it smelled ok then I tasted a tiny bit and if it tasted ok then I used it.

This thread has more opinions on how long to keep stock:

Chicken Stock how long does it keep?

I'll add your thread to it later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

bitsandpieces

Thanks - looks and smells OK. Will taste a bit. It's just stock (not the meat) and will be well-boiled in the course of cooking.

Just realised that I often keep roast meat for 6 days - aren't you meant to

Pink.

Three days in the fridge would be the normal length of time that I'd keep meat in the fridge, apart from gammon which for some reason seems to keep longer. If I know I'm not going to be able to use it within three days then I pop it into the freezer.

Pink

boredjellybean

how long does fresh stock keep in the fridge? I made some chicken stock on monday & haven't got around to using it - shall I just freeze it or should it be thrown out?

Amber_Babies

I'd use it. I used 8 day old stock in my risotto last night.

Kate

Flibsey

if worried, boil for at least 10 mins before use.