Comments on: Making Stock: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:55:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Making Stock: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by: Barbara http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-141530 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:32:56 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-141530 Hello, Gavin! The reason you don't get scum is in large part because you are starting with an already cooked carcass. The scum comes from raw blood and bits coming off of the bones when the water heats up enough to release them. Once cooked, chicken carcasses don't release the same sort of ookie stuff, because it is already congealed and cooked. Cheesecloth just makes the stock prettier, really! If you don't care if your stock is crystal clear! I also have a new tip for you--if you have access to fresh turmeric--try a Thai or Indian grocery for it--peel a couple of roots and cut them into slices and throw them in the stock. This creates a gorgeous golden color, and it infuses the stock with the flavor and healthful compounds of the turmeric, which has been proven to be beneficial in warding off dementia and other brain disorders, as well as being an antiseptic that helps ward off colds and flu. Hello, Gavin!

The reason you don’t get scum is in large part because you are starting with an already cooked carcass. The scum comes from raw blood and bits coming off of the bones when the water heats up enough to release them. Once cooked, chicken carcasses don’t release the same sort of ookie stuff, because it is already congealed and cooked.

Cheesecloth just makes the stock prettier, really! If you don’t care if your stock is crystal clear!

I also have a new tip for you–if you have access to fresh turmeric–try a Thai or Indian grocery for it–peel a couple of roots and cut them into slices and throw them in the stock.

This creates a gorgeous golden color, and it infuses the stock with the flavor and healthful compounds of the turmeric, which has been proven to be beneficial in warding off dementia and other brain disorders, as well as being an antiseptic that helps ward off colds and flu.

]]> Comment on Making Stock: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by: Gavin http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-141517 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:17:51 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-141517 Thank you for this post! My wife and I always get grocery store rotisserie chickens, but neither of us like dark meat, so most of them had been going to waste. Then I started making stock, and I've been getting way more than my money's worth out of them! I've been doing it for a while now, so I had a lot of things figured out, but some of your advice has been incredibly helpful. (Especially the bit about concentrating the stock -- living in a small apt. with a small fridge can be a pain sometimes!) I do have one question, though. I never seem to get any scum on my stock-- just maybe little bits of skin or onion peels. Is this okay? Also, I just use a metal mesh strainer, as I don't have any cheesecloth. Is the cheesecloth necessary, or does it just help make the broth clearer? Thank you for this post! My wife and I always get grocery store rotisserie chickens, but neither of us like dark meat, so most of them had been going to waste. Then I started making stock, and I’ve been getting way more than my money’s worth out of them! I’ve been doing it for a while now, so I had a lot of things figured out, but some of your advice has been incredibly helpful. (Especially the bit about concentrating the stock — living in a small apt. with a small fridge can be a pain sometimes!)
I do have one question, though. I never seem to get any scum on my stock– just maybe little bits of skin or onion peels. Is this okay? Also, I just use a metal mesh strainer, as I don’t have any cheesecloth. Is the cheesecloth necessary, or does it just help make the broth clearer?

]]> Comment on Making Stock: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by: Patricia http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-136466 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:55:49 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-136466 My stock has been simmering for about 90 minutes now. Already it is a beautiful yellow, has a marvelous fragrance, and the taste is beginning to be very chicken-y. I am using chicken thighs since wings were nearly twice the price (must be because it is BCS Bowl week) and the veggies. Thanks for a great recipe/technique. My stock has been simmering for about 90 minutes now. Already it is a beautiful yellow, has a marvelous fragrance, and the taste is beginning to be very chicken-y. I am using chicken thighs since wings were nearly twice the price (must be because it is BCS Bowl week) and the veggies. Thanks for a great recipe/technique.

]]> Comment on Making Stock: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by: Natalie http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-135554 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:04:18 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-135554 Hi Barbara! I ran across this post a few years ago and have been making stocks from leftover chicken bones (and duck bones and turkey bones) ever since.. Your tips have been invaluable.. I'm commenting today because my husband and I realized this morning that ever since we started making stocks and homemade chicken soup we've both been considerably more healthy.. Ever since I was a child I suffered from chronic sinus and bronchial infections and got sick really often.. But in the past couple of years I've only gotten sick a few times, much much less than before.. Well we finally put two and two together, and I'm now convinced that having a regular bowl of chicken soup made from scratch throughout the year has really boosted our immune systems.. By the way it's also the BEST hangover cure ;) Thanks so much Barbara for helping make my family healthy and happy! Natalie Hi Barbara!

I ran across this post a few years ago and have been making stocks from leftover chicken bones (and duck bones and turkey bones) ever since.. Your tips have been invaluable.. I’m commenting today because my husband and I realized this morning that ever since we started making stocks and homemade chicken soup we’ve both been considerably more healthy.. Ever since I was a child I suffered from chronic sinus and bronchial infections and got sick really often.. But in the past couple of years I’ve only gotten sick a few times, much much less than before.. Well we finally put two and two together, and I’m now convinced that having a regular bowl of chicken soup made from scratch throughout the year has really boosted our immune systems.. By the way it’s also the BEST hangover cure ;)
Thanks so much Barbara for helping make my family healthy and happy!

Natalie

]]> Comment on Making Stock: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by: Woofless http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-127416 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:00:07 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2006/09/05/making-stock-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-127416 Hey, I just wanted to chime in & say thanks for such an informative post. I found this during a search for a "from scratch" chicken noodle soup recipe. Only thing is, I've got 5 wild pheasant in my freezer (and sure to have more before the hunting season is over) and since I usually just cook the breasts & legs, I wanted to use the necks & bodies for soup. I imagine making pheasant stock would be the same as making chicken stock- I'll follow your directions & see how it goes...and now I know I need to save the feet when I clean 'em! Also, hopefully by next Spring I will be raising my own chickens so I now know how to use all the "good bits" to make a beautiful golden stock. Thank you!! Hey, I just wanted to chime in & say thanks for such an informative post. I found this during a search for a “from scratch” chicken noodle soup recipe. Only thing is, I’ve got 5 wild pheasant in my freezer (and sure to have more before the hunting season is over) and since I usually just cook the breasts & legs, I wanted to use the necks & bodies for soup. I imagine making pheasant stock would be the same as making chicken stock- I’ll follow your directions & see how it goes…and now I know I need to save the feet when I clean ‘em! Also, hopefully by next Spring I will be raising my own chickens so I now know how to use all the “good bits” to make a beautiful golden stock. Thank you!!

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