ThelmaLou Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I cooked 4 chickens in 2 crockpots yesterday (no extra water, just the whole chickens.) I strained the broth and refrigerated, and I just removed the layer of fat from the top. (Gag!) Now I'm left with just the congealed broth. Is this too concentrated to use "as is" in recipes calling for broth? Should I dilute with more water? What should I do with my big bowl of chicken jello?:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Actually, I think the jello-y part is good--or at least normal. It's the gelatin from the chicken bones, and is good for you (from what I've read). When you heat the broth, it will melt into regular broth again. Others may have more info, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristineIN Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 It should melt back down when you cook it. I would just taste (after it's warm) and see what it needs. When I save broth, I always add more water and more chicken bullions so that I have more. I made a big pot of chix noodle soup tonight and added, carrots, onions, celery, chicken, dried parsley, rosemary, thyme, and fresh garlic. It was yummy! Oh, I usually use fettuccine noodles, we prefer those, it was the way they made it when I worked in the kitchens at the university. (just break the noodles pretty small) I've used spaghetti before too. HTH. Kristine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in SC Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I agree with the advice to taste it after you heat it up again. The fact that it gelled is definitely a good thing. However, when I make homemade broth, I always start with quite a bit of water in my stockpot. The stock/broth that I end up with is also gelled, but yours will be much more concentrated because you didn't begin with any additional water. I've never done it that way, but my guess would be that you have something similar to a "chicken stock concentrate." My hunch is that you'll want to add water when you use it for soups, gravies, etc. *Unless* of course, you are just using a small amount to add flavor. In that case, I would use "as is." But, that's just me and your taste buds may tell you differently. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThelmaLou Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 Thanks for all the advice, ladies. I suspected that I might need to add some water, but just wasn't sure. Looking forward to using it for lots of great flavoring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Don't add water! You've got a pot of gold there. It will melt back up when you heat it. You can also freeze it into smaller amounts if you need to. That's what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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