Chicken stock help

[Turando]

Hi,

Well I'm learning to do some basics properly as I'm really loving cooking now (before it was a chore!).

One of my problems with making stock at the moment is that our fridge/freezer is really small so I can't make huge amounts of stock to keep on hand. However I'd like to even be able to make smaller amounts to keep with me. I'll be getting a freezer when we go back to Australia but for now I'm limited.

Any tips on making stock? The last one I made was just chicken bones / carrots / onions / celery / some pepper and some herbs. I'm not sure if I put salt but I don't think I did as I figured I'd rather flavour the salt when I'm cooking whatever I'm cooking. Is that a good idea or not?

My main question is how far can I reduce stock down to save freezer space?

Also I have read there are certain safety recommendations for cooling down stock? I didn't do anything in particular so I hope I'm not on the way to food poisoning! It's 50 degrees C here so boiling hot in the kitchen. Is there anything I should be careful of?

Thankyou!

 

[Turando]

One more question - I'm getting a pressure cooker. Can you make stock quicker in that or would it affect the flavour? I don't really care how long it takes but if it is quicker with no affect on the flavour I'm happy to use it

 

[sattie]

On storing stock, one trick I use is a shoe box and zip lock baggies. Keep the lid to your shoe box because you can use this to lay your baggies flat to freeze them. I put one cup or two cups of stock in each bag and lay flat and freeze. Once frozen, the can 'file' them inot your shoebox. I keep all my homemade stock this way, easy to access.

 

[Barb L.]

I agree, I freeze everything in zip lock - flat (air out) !

 

[BreezyCooking]

While I do sometimes freeze stock in quart & 1/2 quart containers, I also ALWAYS freeze stock in ice cube trays. Each cube equals approximately 1/8 of a cup. When the cubes are frozen, I empty them into freezer bags.

Makes it SO easy when a recipe calls for 1/4 or 1/2 or 1 cup of stock, & all I have to do is add the appropriate number of cubes.

 

[Katie H]

Turando, I'm not sure about the pressure cooker method because I've always made mine in my big stockpot. I don't salt mine because, as you mention, it is done just as well when it's used in whatever dish your're using it in.

I don't have a freezer space issue, but freezing it in freezer-weight plastic bags and freezing it flat is the best idea for larger quantities. But, I also do as Breezy mentioned and store a quantity of my stock in ice cube trays when I need only a small amount for a recipe.

As for reducing the stock to allow for storage, the only thing reducing will accomplish except, of course, giving you a smaller volume of liquid is to concentrate the flavor. I almost always reduce mine, but only to enhance the flavor.

I keep a couple of plastic soda bottles filled with water in my freezer to quick chill soups and stocks. Just plunge the frozen bottle of water into the soup/stock and swish around until everything's as cool as you need. Another thing the frozen bottle does is to collect some of the fat, so you can do a little defatting at the same time.

Best wishes on your stocks.

 

[Turando]

Hi,

Thankyou for the tips and ideas The ice cubes and the freezer bag flat style seems likes the best way for me to save space in the freezer.

Katie - thanks for the frozen bottle idea

 

[Dave Hutchins]

Your on the right track with carrots,onions. celery LEAVES and 2-3 stalks of celery, some times I add a little thyme to my stock at the last 10 minutes of cooking , Yes you can reduce your stock it intensifies the flavor and save a lot of room I use the backs wing tips all of the bones I bone out my bird.and I freeze them till I get enough to make a good strong stock then a gallon of stock will reduce down to a pint and be super strong

 

[Rom]

In regards to your pressure cooker question.

I tried it the pressure cooker once and the stove top (way my mum has always done, me too)

It's not quicker, I was told it was and after an hour it wasn't very tasty. I left it the same amount of time I would normally in my saucepan and it was ok.

I normally leave it for a couple hours stove top. even more if i have time.

 

[Katie H]

Turando, I should've thought about this earlier but, as they say, "Better late than never."

Check out my chicken stock recipe. Look at my first post in the thread for the recipe.

 

[missvickie]

Stock making is a task the pressure cooker excels at, easily producing 2 quarts of rich, thick, gelatinous stock in about 20 minutes. The pressure cooker will intensify seasonings, but you still need to start with the ingredients that will produce the taste you're looking for.

In making a good bone stock, I've always found that roasting -- or browning -- the bones first, is a great flavor enhancer. Save the the carcass from the next Roast Chicken you buy... it makes a wonderfully tasty stock. Since I like a well seasoned stock, I'll also add garlic, thyme, peppercorns and bay leaves in addition to carrots, onions and celery with leaves... endless possibilities!