Can you talk to me about broth--mainly chicken?

[melissel]

I've made it from leftover chicken in the past, but it was mainly as a "I'd better do something with this so I don't feel guilty about it" sort of thing. However, now that we're eating at home more (much, much more!), the boxed organic broth I tend to think of as a once-in-awhile, backup sort of thing is suddenly a key part of a lot of our meals, and I'm running out very quickly.

 

We only eat whole chicken twice a month, if that. If I'm boiling down a whole chicken for stock/broth, how much water would I add? How much broth would I expect to end up with? I double most recipes so we have some for leftovers/lunches, and I'm using 32 ounces of broth at a pop most nights. I typically buy the big six-packs at Costco, but I don't think I can afford to keep doing that at this rate!

 

What do you do to keep broth or stock on hand? Do you just eat more whole chickens? Is there another option that doesn't involve jarfuls of MSG (which affects me very badly--shaking, dizziness, etc.)?

 

TIA!

[duckens]

We use broth from turkey for cooking. We will cook a turkey 3-4 times a year. Loverboy usually preps the turkey, but I don't know how much extra water he adds to that. We cook it in an oven bag.

 

I freeze the extra broth that we don't use. I skim the extra fat off the top. We freeze 2-3 cups in old cottage cheese containers, and I label the top with how much is in each container.

 

We supplement with chicken bullion. For example, I just made a double batch of soup that required 8 cups of broth. I had 7 (2c + 2c + 3c) in turkey broth, and I added 1c of bullion/water.

 

Would you be able to use vegetarian bullion instead? We use it for some recipes, and we get it from the health food store. Is there a different version of chicken bullion that doesn't have MSG?

 

Unrelated: We also freeze quart bags of cooked turkey meat to pull out when we need meat for sandwiches, soup, or another recipe. That way we don't have to eat 18# of turkey meat within a week or so!

[Tullia]

Have you seen the jars of something called "Organic Better than Bouillon Reduced Sodium"? It's a very concentrated paste that has a reasonable shelf life in the pantry; refrigerate after opening. Our Costco usually stocks it with the dried spices. There is no MSG listed on the label.

 

I've been buying Kirkland chicken stock instead of the name brand chicken broth. The stock is usually cheaper, and I think it makes better soups.

 

I always throw whole chicken leftovers into the stockpot just to avoid letting something good go to waste, too, but when my first goal is to make stock I go to a small local store and buy necks, backs, etc. I was taught by several generations of good cooks that the best stocks are made from the less desirable pieces especially if there's a high ratio of bone to meat. (trim off as much fat as possible). It's possible to make decent chicken broth without bones, but beef broth always tastes better, IMO, if you throw in a couple of bones.

 

The guide I use for adding water is to cover whatever meat, bones, and veggies I'm using and maybe an extra inch or two over that.

 

HTH,

Martha

Edited January 22, 2011 by Martha in NM
clarity

[Carol in Cal.]

I use Better Than Buiollyung (I have no idea how to spell it. At all.) when I need broth. It is more compact and reasonably priced than boxed broth.

 

When I make my own stock, I start with half strength broth and simmer the chicken in it, bones and all. I heat it to a boil and then turn it down and simmer for 15 minutes. Then I take out the meat and put it in the fridge, and put the bones back and simmer for another hour or so. That avoids overcooking the meat. After this, I strain it, and pour off the stock into quart size wide mouthed canning jars, and cool them in the fridge. The next day I freeze them. If I need to poach chicken breasts, I use this broth and just put it back into the freezer. It doesn't get freezer burn, and the more times I do this the richer it tastes.

 

This broth is good for soups. I don't care for it for pilaf, but for everything else it's just great.

[6packofun]

Better Than Buiollyung (I have no idea how to spell it. At all.)

 

LOL!!!! Oh, God love ya, that made my night. Heehee!! :D

[Photo Ninja]

I often buy a roasted chicken from Costco because we eat chicken often. I take all the meat off and use it during the week for casseroles, salads, soup, etc.

 

I make broth from everything left after removing the meat. I put it into the pot, fill it with water, add a bunch of garlic, and simmer it for 4 - 5 hours. I make soup with it, but it I don't want soup, I freeze it in portion sizes for recipes.

[Dobela]

I take the largest stockpot I have, put my chicken in, and fill to nearly the top. If it boils down too low, I add more water. This goes on for hours. My broth is a thinner, lighter version than some. I freeze it in 2 cup containers. Sometimes I will refrigerate it overnight so I can skim off the fat before freezing. I have sometimes followed recipes that have spices and veggies added in for a richer flavor. They are wonderful. But for general everyday use I don't need that rich of a broth. It may take you a few times of experimenting to get just what you want flavor wise so I would start with small batches and google recipes to get ideas.

[KatieH]

One chicken will make a lot of broth, if you do it right. I roast a chick and we eat the meat off it, then pick off the leftover for another meal. I put the bones (and feet, if I have any) into the stock pot with some salt, about 1 tbsp of raw apple cider vinegar (the acid helps pull the minerals out of the bones, making a more nutritious stock) and simmer it over night. In the morning, I add in a bay leaf, some more salt, pepper, carrot, celery, and onion and let it simmer the rest of the day. That evening I strain and put into freezer jars that hold about 2 cups each (and I usually fill a quart mason jar, too). Label as chicken (or duck, beef, whatever) and put them in the freezer. Maybe 10 cups altogether, just depends on how big your stock pot is and how much water you add. I just fill my stockpot.

 

If I had the time I'd can some in my pressure canner so I didn't have to think ahead and defrost!

[Mejane]

I usually just buy the aseptic containers where they're on sale for $1.50 per. Kitchen Basics is a good brand, very rich. I've used Better Than Boullion, too. It's also very good.

[Mommee & Baba]

In the mexican food aisle @ Walmart they sell a 2.2lb jar of chicken granules for under $5! And it's good! :) The lid is green. The label is yellow and green with a chicken etching on it. The jar itself is the amber color :)

[Miss Peregrine]

I save all my vegetable scraps from salad, other meals, etc. in a freezer bag. When I have a carcass I dump all those in, too It is really tasty.

 

I usually have tons of onion skins, tops and bottoms of carrots, wilted celery and cut off bits, tops and insides of bell peppers.

[kathkath]

chicken soup base. it's what restaurant chefs use. great stuff!

[Mergath]

I simmer a chicken carcass with the meat removed and all my wilty, not-bad-but-not-good vegetables, a few crushed garlic cloves, and a couple bay leaves for six hours or so. I add a tablespoon of vinegar to help soften the bones and let the marrow seep out into the stock. The way I do it, I usually get around eight cups of stock, which I freeze in two-cup servings in freezer bags. I've heard that adding onion skins will give it a nicer color, but I've never noticed any difference.

[melissel]

Thank you, everyone!!! I've made broth by boiling the carcass and occasionally adding some leftover veggie bits that I happened to have, but I don't know why it didn't occur to me to keep leftover bits in the freezer. I also never remember the vinegar. I really appreciate all your detailed instructions, especially about not overcooking the leftover meat, what can be included in the stock, how long to cook etc. I have roast chicken on the menu for tomorrow night, so I'll get started the next day!

[anneofalamo]

I'm a bullion girl, and just made a huge pot of chicken noodle soup! I use all the leftover vegi's also!!

I just blogged on my super not so secret anymore ingredient that my awesome Dad shared with me!!

[Soror]

I do a chicken once a week and then the carcass goes straight in the crockpot filled w/ water- I cook it for 2-3 days to get all the goodness out. I just use that broth that week and start again the next week.

[melissel]

I'm a bullion girl, and just made a huge pot of chicken noodle soup! I use all the leftover vegi's also!!

I just blogged on my super not so secret anymore ingredient that my awesome Dad shared with me!!

 

LOL! Great idea, thanks for sharing!

[The Girls' Mom]

Don't forget that you can also buy the big, cheap packs of legs and thighs and make broth from that. I often throw thighs in a dutch oven with an onion, garlic, and seasonings and roast it. After we eat the meat, I'll toss all the leftovers in a pot and make broth. CHEAP.