Stock Question regarding cooling it

[Turando]

Hi,

If I make chicken stock I read I need to cool it quickly (using ice) so as to avoid some range that is not good to be in.

My question is if I make stock fresh and am going to use it to make soup - do I need to cool it down as normal and then use it for chicken soup or can I use it whilst hot? If I use it hot - do I need to then cool the soup later on or anything?

Trying to avoid food poisoning since I am pregnant :)

Thankyou!

[Andy M.]

If you plan to use the just finished hot stock to go right into a soup pot, you do not have to cool it first.

Cooling it quickly is important as you know. Cooling it also solidifes the fat on the surface so it's easier to remove.

Any hot food should be cooled quickly to avoid longer periods of time in the bacterial danger zone of 40F to 140F. So, after you make the soup, it should be cooled quickly and refrigerated if you are not going to serve it right away.

[Turando]

Thanks Andy for the quick answer :) That will be a lot easier than cooling then reusing it as I plan to make the stock just before making the soup.

[GotGarlic]

Cooks Illustrated has a tip on cooling stocks/soups quickly: Freeze a water-filled 2-liter beverage bottle and use the frozen bottle to "stir" the hot liquid. Cools it right off.

[Katie H]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

Cooks Illustrated has a tip on cooling stocks/soups quickly: Freeze a water-filled 2-liter beverage bottle and use the frozen bottle to "stir" the hot liquid. Cools it right off.

Yep, Garlic. I've been doing this for years. Another thing using the frozen bottle technique does is that some of the fat collects on the cold bottles, which gives me a head start on defatting my stocks.

[Dave Hutchins]

Kate-e is right on