What's cookin', good lookin'?

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

I made mole poblano for the first time. I love clove so I was a little bit too heavy handed with it, but otherwise the sauce turned out good. Worth the effort. Next time I'll add more chili, now I only used ancho and pasilla and a little bit of powdered chipotle. I'll see about finding mulato for the next batch, because lots of recipes I skimmed through seemed to have that as well.

I love a deep, rich mole... So complex!

 

[Endless_Night]

And tonight I'm making some chicken stock. Threw some beet peels in, and the color is so beautiful! Can't wait to taste this batch!!

I realize I'm a little late to the game on this...but what do you mean when you say you're making chicken stock? To me, that's always meant just boiling a chicken and keeping the result of that as stock. It sounds like you might be talking about something a little more in depth?

 

[midwestyankee]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g68/mwy_photos/chicken_zps5f229fad.jpg

 

[Primalex]

I realize I'm a little late to the game on this...but what do you mean when you say you're making chicken stock? To me, that's always meant just boiling a chicken and keeping the result of that as stock. It sounds like you might be talking about something a little more in depth?

Well, the question is, what else you throw in there, besides the chicken

 

[midwestyankee]

Well, the question is, what else you throw in there, besides the chicken

Don't some people include aromatics like onions, celery, green pepper and such?

 

[Endless_Night]

Well, the question is, what else you throw in there, besides the chicken

I don't usually throw in anything but salt! Somehow I'm getting the impression I might be falling down on the job.

Don't some people include aromatics like onions, celery, green pepper and such?

Again.... I suspect Collar is making upscale chicken stock, and I want in!

 

[midwestyankee]

I don't usually throw in anything but salt! Somehow I'm getting the impression I might be falling down on the job.

Again.... I suspect Collar is making upscale chicken stock, and I want in!

In my world, "upscale chicken stock" means buying a box of the organic stuff.

 

[Primalex]

I don't usually throw in anything but salt! Somehow I'm getting the impression I might be falling down on the job.

Women these days - they know 32 ways to sexually satisfy a guy and only one way to make chicken stock.

 

[Endless_Night]

Women these days - they know 32 ways to sexually satisfy a guy and only one way to make chicken stock.

Uh oh!

I only know 31 ways to sexually satisfy....

A failure all around. *sobs*

 

[Endless_Night]

In my world, "upscale chicken stock" means buying a box of the organic stuff.

Hmmm. Even I, with my limited culinary skills, know better than that!

 

[midwestyankee]

Hmmm. Even I, with my limited culinary skills, know better than that!

I've tried many, many times to make good stock from turkeys and chickens. They always turn out gray, which is most unpleasant. Clearly I'm doing something wrong but all I can discern from asking good cooks about it is that the gray comes from tiny bits of blood getting into the stock. No one has been able to make me understand how to avoid that, so I use the boxed stuff rather than drive myself crazy.

 

[Curious_in_Cali]

My chicken stock always includes carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf, garlic cloves, peppercorns, thyme, and apple cider vinegar. ACV boosts the draw of minerals from the bones and does not really effect the flavor of the stock.

I actually never salt my stock when I make it and instead I just wait until I use it to determine the salt needs of the final dish it becomes a part of.

 

[Primalex]

Uh oh!

I only know 31 ways to sexually satisfy....

A failure all around. *sobs*

Okay, let's start with the cooking part.

My chicken stock contains at least:
celery root, whole cloves, onions, black pepper and juniper berries.

Usually also leek, carrots and parsley - and if I can find some here, parsley root.

 

[Endless_Night]

I've tried many, many times to make good stock from turkeys and chickens. They always turn out gray, which is most unpleasant. Clearly I'm doing something wrong but all I can discern from asking good cooks about it is that the gray comes from tiny bits of blood getting into the stock. No one has been able to make me understand how to avoid that, so I use the boxed stuff rather than drive myself crazy.

Well, now you're just scaring me.

I've made lots of chicken stock, plain though it may have been! It's never once turned out gray. And may I say - yuck!

 

[midwestyankee]

Well, now you're just scaring me.

I've made lots of chicken stock, plain though it may have been! It's never once turned out gray. And may I say - yuck!

Yuck - exactly. Hence the boxes.

Maybe a timely lottery ticket purchase would allow me to hire Collar to be our personal chef. Of course, that might still not be enough money to persuade her to work in Chicago in the winter. I'll just have to do some more study and crack this little puzzle.

 

[Primalex]

I've tried many, many times to make good stock from turkeys and chickens. They always turn out gray, which is most unpleasant.

Are you talking about the gray foam? That's normal and the foam needs to be removed. Also, it must not boil, just simmer.

 

[Endless_Night]

So, running with my overall chicken stock ignorance here.

Are y'all putting all these delectable tidbits in after the chicken has cooked? And if so, how long are you cooking the stock and additives?

I'm getting the impression these are really stupid questions, but honestly, I don't know.

 

[midwestyankee]

Are you talking about the gray foam? That's normal and the foam needs to be removed. Also, it must not boil, just simmer.

The whole liquid is gray and makes a truly ugly soup. Maybe I'm truly ignorant, but I always thought that "simmer" meant that the liquid was bubbling slightly, thus at a very low boil.

 

[Primalex]

The whole liquid is gray and makes a truly ugly soup. Maybe I'm truly ignorant, but I always thought that "simmer" meant that the liquid was bubbling slightly, thus at a very low boil.

Hm. Okay, I consulted the bible of cooking, Harold McGees "On Food and Cooking".

"which the cook brings slowly to a gentle simmer and keeps it there. The cold start and slow heating allows the soluble proteins to escape the solids and coagulate slowly, forming large aggregates that either rise to the surface and are easily skimmed off, or settle onto the sides and bottom. A hot start produces many separate and tiny protein particles that remain suspended and cloud the stock; and a boil churns particles and fat droplets into a cloudy suspension and emulsion."

So...you are just not slow and gentle enough with the chicken...

 

[MeekMe]

My chicken stock always includes carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf, garlic cloves, peppercorns, thyme, and apple cider vinegar. ACV boosts the draw of minerals from the bones and does not really effect the flavor of the stock.

I actually never salt my stock when I make it and instead I just wait until I use it to determine the salt needs of the final dish it becomes a part of.

I didn't know the ACV has that effect. I really want to do this now. (^.^)

 

[Curious_in_Cali]

The whole liquid is gray and makes a truly ugly soup. Maybe I'm truly ignorant, but I always thought that "simmer" meant that the liquid was bubbling slightly, thus at a very low boil.

Maybe consider trying a crock pot set to low and let it go for 24+ hours. Passive yet controlled cooking at it's finest. Just peek at it every few hours to skim the top as needed.

 

[wicked woman]

I've had great success with this slow cooker chicken recipe and the link to make chicken broth in the slow cooker from the bones.

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/02/25/recipe-the-best-whole-chicken-in-a-crock-pot/

 

[midwestyankee]

Maybe consider trying a crock pot set to low and let it go for 24+ hours. Passive yet controlled cooking at it's finest. Just peek at it every few hours to skim the top as needed.

I've had great success with this slow cooker chicken recipe and the link to make chicken broth in the slow cooker from the bones.

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/02/25/recipe-the-best-whole-chicken-in-a-crock-pot/

I guess I'll have to try this sometime. Right after we finish off the 18 cases of organic chicken stock I bought at Costco. So maybe in late 2019.

 

[Collar_N_Cuffs]

The one day I'm out the entire time...

Endless, what you are making might be more of a broth? Broth is the liquid that meat cooks in, and stock has bones and generally cooks longer. I personally use scraps, after cooking. So I roast a chicken, eat it , then I freeze the bones, skin, whatever I don't eat (or throw it directly into a pot if I am serving the whole chicken at once) and start adding stuff.

I actually keep a scraps bag in my freezer, and keep bits and pieces for the stockpot. Onion skins and ends, carrot peels and ends, celery peels, ends and leaves (though those are good in salad), garlic skins, pepper pieces (not stems), pretty much any scraps except for the cabbage family. Other things I will throw in are pepper corns, bay leaf, beet peels were awesome, adding depth of flavor and nice color. I have also added an ancho chile at times, sans stem or seeds. That makes for a beautiful stock.

As Primalex says, start cold and bring to a slow boil. I also don't add salt until I am using the stock. Another thing I don't add is tomato, because I find it tends to break down the collagen and the stock doesn't gel. I start it before I go to bed and leave it go all night. I have also used the slow cooker. That method rocks!!

Hope this helps, because homemade stock is the best

ETA: I also add fresh and dried herbs depending on what I have on hand. Rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil stems are yummy, etc. whatever I have. I may cook them only half or quarter of the total cooking time depending on potency and flavor.

 

[Endless_Night]

The one day I'm out the entire time...

Endless, what you are making might be more of a broth? Broth is the liquid that meat cooks in, and stock has bones and generally cooks longer. I personally use scraps, after cooking. So I roast a chicken, eat it , then I freeze the bones, skin, whatever I don't eat (or throw it directly into a pot if I am serving the whole chicken at once) and start adding stuff.

I actually keep a scraps bag in my freezer, and keep bits and pieces for the stockpot. Onion skins and ends, carrot peels and ends, celery peels, ends and leaves (though those are good in salad), garlic skins, pepper pieces (not stems), pretty much any scraps except for the cabbage family. Other things I will throw in are pepper corns, bay leaf, beet peels were awesome, adding depth of flavor and nice color. I have also added an ancho chile at times, sans stem or seeds. That makes for a beautiful stock.

As Primalex says, start cold and bring to a slow boil. I also don't add salt until I am using the stock. Another thing I don't add is tomato, because I find it tends to break down the collagen and the stock doesn't gel. I start it before I go to bed and leave it go all night. I have also used the slow cooker. That method rocks!!

Hope this helps, because homemade stock is the best

ETA: I also add fresh and dried herbs depending on what I have on hand. Rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil stems are yummy, etc. whatever I have. I may cook them only half or quarter of the total cooking time depending on potency and flavor.

Ahhh. Okay, I have been thinking broth rather than stock. So you're talking chicken bones and scraps, water, assorted herbs and vegetables, which you then bring to a low simmer and cook overnight? That's in a regular pot on the stove?

Thanks, Collar!