Turkey Stock

[luv2cook35]

I have about a gallon of turkey stock I made from the turkey carcass on Friday. Has been in our second refrigerator since then and I totally forgot about it. I'm wondering if it's still good and can I just freeze it?
Thanks for any advice!

 

[Addie]

I have about a gallon of turkey stock I made from the turkey carcass on Friday. Has been in our second refrigerator since then and I totally forgot about it. I'm wondering if it's still good and can I just freeze it?
Thanks for any advice!

I would. And freeze it in one quart containers. It will freeze more quickly and you will be able to use only what you need at any given time.

 

[Zhizara]

I used the stock from the turkey carcass to make split peas today. I added some extra water and let it cook uncovered to add heat to the apartment. It smelled great all day and by the time it was done, it was rich and delicious.

 

[luv2cook35]

No issues with food safety? It is only stock, no protein in it. Thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

No issues with food safety? It is only stock, no protein in it. Thanks!

I think you're pushing the limits of safety but freeze it right away and you should be fine. BTW, it's loaded with protein from the meat and bones you cooked to make it.

I'd bring it to a boil for three or so minutes when you're ready to use it.

 

[luv2cook35]

I used the stock from the turkey carcass to make split peas today. I added some extra water and let it cook uncovered to add heat to the apartment. It smelled great all day and by the time it was done, it was rich and delicious.
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Interesting idea! I've only ever thought of ham for split peas. Hmmmm, maybe I won't even freeze the stock.

 

[luv2cook35]

I realize there's extruded protein, I just meant no meat pieces in the stock.

 

[jennyema]

No issues with food safety? It is only stock, no protein in it. Thanks!

Stock has tons of protein in it

I think it has big food safety issues

I'd toss it, but if you are going to keep it, id boil it and quick chill before freezing.

 

[luv2cook35]

Stock has tons of protein in it

I think it has big food safety issues

I'd toss it, but if you are going to keep it, id boil it and quick chill before freezing.

Have just done both. I don't want to take any chances so I'll check with some of the chemistry teachers at school - thanks all for your help.

 

[Zhizara]

I used the stock from the turkey carcass to make split peas today. I added some extra water and let it cook uncovered to add heat to the apartment. It smelled great all day and by the time it was done, it was rich and delicious.
__________________

Interesting idea! I've only ever thought of ham for split peas. Hmmmm, maybe I won't even freeze the stock.

I added some ham chunks at the end. I use whatever stock I have for any kind of beans. It really makes for a really rich dish.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Have just done both. I don't want to take any chances so I'll check with some of the chemistry teachers at school - thanks all for your help.

Should check with Biology teachers...preferably Microbiology.

 

[Dawgluver]

Should check with Biology teachers...preferably Microbiology.

Forensic scientists.

 

[Ryancooks]

I'm no biology teacher, but I do teach culinary arts. What I tell my students is that they should almost always be able to use their senses to know when foods are bad. Smell it. It should smell very much the same as chicken broth/stock. If you're still not sure, taste a small amount of it. It will taste sour if it's bad.

I agree with the comment about boiling it. That can kill some bacteria that may be present. A great way to store stock is to reduce it, or boil/simmer it until it reduces in volume to just a fraction of what you started with. This gives you what we call "glace" (pronounced "gloss"), which is a great concentrate that can be frozen in ice cube trays and added to water, sauce, or soup as needed.

Good luck!

 

[sparrowgrass]

You are a culinary arts teacher and you tell people to TASTE suspect foods? Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Instead, tell them to heat the food a little--bad odors will pop out when the food is warmer.

 

[Ryancooks]

You are a culinary arts teacher and you tell people to TASTE suspect foods? Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Instead, tell them to heat the food a little--bad odors will pop out when the food is warmer.

It may sound like it has lawsuit potential, but it's standard practice in the foodservice industry. If food is rancid enough to make you sick with just a small taste (which is rare) you would see and smell overwhelming signs. If you're in doubt after looking and smelling, it's not going to make you sick to take a small taste.

 

[Andy M.]

...If food is rancid enough to make you sick with just a small taste (which is rare) you would see and smell overwhelming signs...

Then you wouldn't have to taste it...

Sounds like a dodgy practice to me. I'd bet OSHA wouldn't be too happy with it either.

 

[Ryancooks]

Then you wouldn't have to taste it...

Sounds like a dodgy practice to me. I'd bet OSHA wouldn't be too happy with it either.

I appreciate your point of view. The fact is that you cannot always know just by smelling a food whether or not it has spoiled. Foodservice professionals are responsible for avoiding the more likely lawsuit... a customer who eats a plate of bad food. Taking a small taste of spoiled food is unlikely to make someone sick, and is often the only way to know if something has gone bad or not. And of course, if someone did taste something and realize it was spoiled, they would spit it out.

This is a quote from the USDA FSIS website:
"Spoilage bacteria can grow at low temperatures, such as in the refrigerator. Eventually they cause food to develop off or bad tastes and smells. Most people would not choose to eat spoiled food, but if they did, they probably would not get sick."

 

[Addie]

I once ordered scratch veggie soup in a restaurant that had gone sour. You could smell it througout the room as the waiter was bringing it to me. I immediately sent it back before he could even take it off the tray. Next thing is everyone heard the yelling in the kitchen. I then ordered a solid food for my entree' and the whole meal was free. Chef came out full of apoligies.

 

[jpe]

I got some 6-7 kg of moose/elk with basically unidefinable pieces - cut some pieces from which I made lean chopped meat.

First roasted the rest (low heat 60 degr C) - then boiled and boiled the rest. Did get a 'lot' of stock - but decided to keep reducing.

I ended up with about one cop VERY VERY thick 'bullion' - far beyond demi-glace. Added some low Na sea salt - and now in freezer in tiny cups where I can add tremendous amount of taste quickly - with little storage space.

Basically am saying those gallons of turkey stock could be turned into something more convenient.

 

[jennyema]

I ended up with about one cop VERY VERY thick 'bullion' - far beyond demi-glace. Added some low Na sea salt -.

Demi glacé is a paste or very thick syrup.

All salt has essentially the same amount if Na. Sea salt and table salt are both 99% sodium.