Home made chicken stock

Gintotmelinda

I put the chicken carcass in the slow cooker with onion carrot and a bay leaf last night. 4 hours on low and fished all the veg, skin, bones etc out, cooled it and popped in the fridge overnight.


I doesn't look delicious this morning-sort of pale browny grey and a bit wobbly. Can anyone tell me if that's how it should look? I would like to use it in a risotto tonight .And how much should I use?


Thanks


Gintot

Oakdene

Sounds ok to me, when stock cools the fat in it congeals & sets like jelly. Heat it up in a pan & itll go back to liquid.

MallyGirl

sounds right - but I would have left it going for longer if it was me, and added a sprinkle of peppercorns. You will need more seasoning than if you are used to using stock cubes.
I nearly always make risotto with fresh stock the day after roasting a chicken.

TiredTrophy

I save the chi ken carcasses in the freezer until i have enough to warrant the electric....then reduce the stock down so its concentrated. I also keep and use the fat to fry the onions for the rissotto.
I add any left over chicken gravy to the pot as well.

MallyGirl

I scrape the settled fat off the top of the stock for softening the onions too.

Gintotmelinda

Thanks everyone-I'll keep your points in mind, especially about boiling the stock down. I didn't know how much water to put in but obviously didn't fill the slow cooker. I've got about one of those cereal bowls that are narrow at the bottom and wider at the top (use for porridge in the microwave)full.


So fingers crossed for risotto tonight.


Regards


Gintot

[Deleted User]

Sounds like you've got it spot on It should look a bit brown- grey and wobbly I too recommend lifting the congealed fat from the top and using it for cooking the onions in
The stock will return to a liquid state once its reheated.I am also one who collects the carcus and freezes it for stock when I have several in the freezer it helps to make fantastic stock for soup as well

missbiggles1

I'd usually put a couple of cloves of garlic into the stock although not everybody likes it.

Soundgirlrocks

Oakdene wrote: »

Sounds ok to me, when stock cools the fat in it congeals & sets like jelly. Heat it up in a pan & itll go back to liquid.

Its worth knowing that its not the fat that causes it to set but the gelatine which is release from the bones. The fat should settle the top so if you want lower fat stock you can separate off the fat (but as others have said it's great for frying onions)

Gintotmelinda

Thanks everyone for your help.


We have just had the risotto and it was delicious. Even more delicious as DD cooked it. DGS (22 months) wolfed his down so I am glad he got the extra nutrition from home made stock.


Jackie O thanks for the reassurance about colour.


No stopping me now!


Thanks again.


Gintot

jackyann

Well done! I think home made stock is much under-estimated.

Not sure if it would work for you, but this is my tip: I keep one freezer drawer for stock makings: washed onion skins (which add a brown colouring!) any soft carrots, outer celery stalks etc (I love celery, and buy it when cheaper in the winter) and then the kind of bones and left-overs that can be used in stock. Even if I skin some chicken thighs, the little bits of skin go in. Then when I have enough, it all goes in for stock.

It always looks unappetising, but does add a terrific flavour.