Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Chicken Stock

We have been getting whole, cut up chickens lately. (Skin and bone and everything. I mean EVERYTHING. But at least they are cut up.) It's been a good experience. I have to make sure that I plan my meals right so that I have the chicken pieces I need when I need them. So one day we will have white meat and the next something with dark meat. Well, this has been working out pretty nicely. Except, there are some random parts in the packages sometimes. Like wings. Neither of us are wing fans. And sometimes there is a spine, and sometimes it is unidentifiable. Pretty much, if I can't figure out what piece it used to be, I don't really want to eat it. (And the butt meat. I don't eat chicken or turkey butt- ok, tail. I know some people think it is awesome. I don't.) So all these parts have been going in the freezer in a bag for chicken stock. Today, I made it. I threw all the pieces in the crock pot with some celery and onion and carrot remnants (also salvaged from otherwise edible pieces). I added a bay leaf and some salt and pepper and cooked it on high for an hour (mostly to get it going, the chicken was still frozen) and then on low for about 9 more. We strained it and now it is cooling. An hour plus after straining, it is still a pleasantly warm, edible temperature. It is pretty tasty too. (Do you know how hard it was to make myself taste it? Just thinking about how it was "inedible" parts made it difficult to actually taste it. But the parts weren't rotten, just not something I wanted to eat as chicken. Of course, I know exactly which pieces went into my stock. All bones, skin, and actual meat. No organs or feathers. That should make me like it more than a store bought stock.) Tonight I am going to put it in the fridge, the fat will rise, I'll skim most of that off, and then portion the rest and freeze it. I'm not quite sure how to freeze it yet. Some people put them in ice cube trays. I have two. It would take me ALL DAY! Some people put them in baggies. I did that with my cream of mushroom soup, and it worked, but took an awful lot of baggies. I have almost 4 quarts. If I freeze it in 1 cup portions (slightly less than a can), even subtracting for ice cubes of stock, I would need maybe 10 baggies. Ooh, idea. Maybe my muffin tray would work. Actually, I think I read about someone using that at some point. I will have to try it! I also need a second muffin tray. I only have one. It sucks sometimes. Like when I want to make multiple batches of banana bread muffins, and have to only make one, or make one in a loaf, or try to use my silicon cups. Which work great, but can be a hassle to fill with something like banana bread batter. I'll keep watching smiths. I snagged some brand new cookie trays for $1.25 each! I know. You are jealous. (Alann has ruined both of the ones we had. One has a giant burned on crusty rusty spot, and the other is getting rust from being left in a sink of water for too long.) I would love to get some of the quality ones, the stainless steel that become non-stick with use, but I will deal with teflon non-stick for now.

Of course, now I have a strainer full of random pieces of chicken. And I am having a hard time throwing it out. I don't want to eat it, but it feels wasteful to not use it for SOMETHING. Of course, it is all used up, it's spent. There is not much good stuff left anymore. So I will throw it out. Tomorrow, when I can take the trash out shortly thereafter. But it still feels weird.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

When she saya ruined ours she means mine since before we were married. Like she isn't happy about getting new ones;)

Becca said...

No. He forgets. We got new ones when we got married, because his were scary. Then he ruined the new ones. so I had to get new ones again.

Bob O. said...

The next time you do this after making the stock take the backs and wings and remove the skin and you will find an amazing amout of meat that is easily removed and is perfect for making soup or chicken & dumplings. If you plan ahead you can save a few empty water bottles to put your cooled stock in.

Bob Olson (Shannon's dad)

Anonymous said...

No, no. She is wrong. I have never made muffins since we got married (someone has kicked me out of the kitchen), so it was not I who ruined the "new" muffin tins

Shannon said...

Go you! I'm sure my dad is happy that at least someone I know is making their own chicken stock and buying whole chickens, since I don't. :) He is full of good cooking advice if you ever need it. He's who I call with questions about everything. Anyway, I'm impressed with your self reliance skills. I seriously think you should teach an enrichment about all the things you make yourself.

MomKAS said...

How about giving some to Jersey? Not like the bone parts that could kill her, but there must be some cat-tasty pieces among those inedible spent parts that you don't want to throw out.

(I am enjoying the tale of "who ruined the muffin tins", BTW)

Becca said...

it was the baking sheets that got ruined. We have only ever had one muffin tin, which is still pretty nice.
Jers4ey32 i.4 s5 strange and wo.n0't eat 0000000000000000000000000000some things. She likes 3tu.n.a, but that is about it. (Ok, just read the letters.0 Claire is helping with the 0.nu0mbers.)

Anonymous said...

I still say that they were my tins to start with. I'm sure my mother could vouche that she gave me 2 old cookie sheets when i moved to columbia

Becca said...

I'm sure she can vouch for giving you some. But can she vouch for whether or not these are the same ones? Doubtful. I stick by my theory- we threw out the old pans and bought new ones. so =P

teene said...

I think it's fabulous that Claire is learning at a young age how to type. :)