Crock Pot Chicken Stock

[ckreef]

I've now done 2 batches of chicken stock in a crock pot. Here's what I've figured out. 

Small oval crock pot works fine for 1 carcass. Final yield about 36 oz. 

Wash carcass to remove any residual rub for a cleaner chicken stock. Unless of course you want a slightly rub tasting stock. 

Set to low temperature is right at 212* and a very low boil. Set to "Keep Warm" temperature is a steady 155*. With that figured out proceed as follows  ..... 

Set on high for 60 minutes (to get temperature above 140*) then switch to keep warm and let it ride for 12 hours. 

Strain through 4 or 6 layers of cheese cloth. 

If I'm going to do this on a regular basis I need to buy the larger fat separator. I currently own a small one. 

Crock pot is a very easy method for making chicken stock. Uses a very minimal amount of electricity. 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2016 by ckreef

[Bruce Pearson]

Cool!  bet that's a heck of a lot better than that stuff you buy at the store.

 

[MacKenzie]

Ck, you are right on track.   

[MacKenzie]

I can see chicken noodle soup, chicken vegetable soup, chicken pot pie, onion/bacon ends and pasta dinner, etc. 

BTW, to remove the fat I just let it cool in the fridge and scoop the hardened fat off. 

Edited October 18, 2016 by MacKenzie

[Pequod]

I used to make my own stock all the time, but have fallen out of the habit. Need to start giving those roti chicken carcasses a second life. 

[tony b]

Here, here! 

[Syzygies]

On 10/18/2016 at 4:28 AM, ckreef said:

If I'm going to do this on a regular basis I need to buy the larger fat separator. I currently own a small one.

I gave up on fat separators long ago. I rely on "leverage".

Find a ladle or ladle-like spoon that fits into a large glass or measuring cup. If one is buying from scratch for this, buy a "jam jar" glass and one of those hanging stainless steel ladles ending in a half sphere spoon, that fits partway into the glass.

Now, use the ladle to skim the surface of the stock, by setting it just far enough into the stock for the very top film of stock to flow into the ladle. Do this all over the surface, pouring the result into the cup. The goal here is to eventually get all the fat, and some of the stock. It's ok if one ends up with half fat, half stock in the cup. That's a huge improvement on the ratio in the stock pot.

Now, let the fat rise to the top, in the cup, and this time ladle off just the fat. Be conservative; one you've removed most of the fat you can always add more stock, to get the remaining fat near the surface. Or one can just dump the stock and bits of remaining fat back into the stock pot, and do this again.

This is way easier to do that to say. Why it works is obvious once you see it in action. I can't imagine dedicating space in my kitchen to a bulky fat separator that doesn't work as well.

[mguerra]

One of my dogs has liver cancer and won't eat regular go food so I cook her chicken. I cook a chicken in the pressure cooker and keep the resulting broth in the pot. I bone out the chicken and throw all the bones, skin and so on back in the pot with the broth. I cook it for 20 minutes in the pressure cooker, and use a fat separator to get the stock. It is now double strength and has so much gelatin it solidifies in the fridge.

[MacKenzie]

Mguerra, sorry to hear that your dog is not well. Hope the chicken helps her. 

I'm about to do a veggie stock.

[tony b]

Sorry to hear about your dog, too, Doc. 

[mguerra]

She had exploratory surgery 13 months ago, was found to be inoperable, and is still alive! Penny and I just thank God for each day we have with Lily. We figure it's God's grace and pressure cooker chicken.

BTW that's Dixie in the picture, not Lily...

Edited October 24, 2016 by mguerra

[tony b]

Spoil her rotten, Doc! 

[MacKenzie]

26 minutes ago, tony b said:

Spoil her rotten, Doc! 

I  agree, you will both feel better, don't ask me how I know.