Stock

LittleAnna

am I the only one to really not like home made stock.I have had several goes using chicken /turkey carcass and they always seem a bit greasy ,even if I skim, and have a funny taste.Does anyone else prefer stock cubes?

Fire_Fox

Do you skim when it's still a liquid or when the stock has set in the fridge?

nanokitten

why not make vegtable stock instead, delicious and never greasy. (or save the water when boiling or steaming veg).

Beccah_3

I seem to have the same problems with chicken/turkey stock. I've tried skimming whilst simmering and then also when its set im the fridge, and I'm always left with a fattiness that almost makes me gag.

thriftlady_2

LittleAnna wrote: »

am I the only one to really not like home made stock.I have had several goes using chicken /turkey carcass and they always seem a bit greasy ,even if I skim, and have a funny taste.Does anyone else prefer stock cubes?

I definitely don't prefer stock cubes

But, hey, you don't have to like everything Anna. There are no rules for this OS lark. Just do the bits that work for you.

I have to say I don't taste my stock 'neat'. I let it cool and freeze it, then it goes stright into dishes so I never get to appreciate its taste on its own -well I wouldn't taste a stock cube made up either. I'd sure miss it if it weren't there though.

If you're using cubes Knorr aren't bad and are fairly free of weird ingredients, or better are Kallo. Marigold bouillon powder is good for veg stock which you can use for loads of things.

Olliebeak

If anybody is interested, B&M Bargains have been selling Kallo stock cubes recently - not sure how much but they were FAR CHEAPER than Asda.

valk_scot

You can clarify stock by using egg white and bashed up eggshells, or something like that. Never tried it myself. What works for me is to strain it through a sieve lined with kitchen paper then put it in the fridge overnight and remove the disc of fat on top.

It won't taste at all like stock cube stock, have to say. For a start, no salt! You do usually need to salt HM soup made with HM stock. I also find adding a pinch of dried parsley helps, or fresh if I have it. The only time stock will taste like the parent animal is when you've made it super concentrated and it's so strong it sets to a jelly. I made some awesome stock once when I found seven chicken carcasses in the freezer. It set into a really nice jelly and the kids were eating it neat with spoons, it was so tasty. But otherwise HM stock tastes a bit bland and watery.

floss2

When you make chicken stock, leave out the skin....you will lose a little flavour but also lose some of the greasiness.

Also, if you reduce it by boiling quickly so the volume goes down by about half, you get a better, more-intense flavour. Then leave to cool, pop into the fridge overnight, skim any fat off & freeze.

floyd

I make mine with plenty of aromatics (2 small onions with skin, parsley stalks, sprigs of thyme, garlic clove, 2 carrots, 2 ribs of celery, 2 bay leaves, 12 peppercorns) and simmer it for 5 hours to really intensify the flavour plus it takes up less freezer space.