to think making stock by boiling a chicken carcass with onion, carrot, bayleaf, whatever, is a pointless waste of time?

[Mintyy]

I did it once a couple of years ago and vowed never again.

Honestly, a Knorr chicken stock cube does the job better, cheaper and quicker. With no washing up.

Pressure cooker. And you have to boil it down a bit to concentrate the flavour.

I do it occasionally but I always add carrot, onion and celery. I tend to use it in soups that really need a good stock as in some thicker / blended soups I'd completely agree that you can't tell the difference.

I do disagree about Knorr chicken stock though! If you can, get yourself some Kallo Organic Chicken Stock cubes - night and day. I used to think things with chicken stock tasted really artificial until I found the Kallo stock cubes. (Ironically though, they are good enough to make me lazy with the chicken boiling...)

YANBU. Really can't be arsed.

When I was young my granny used to buy chickens with feathers on, then dunk them in boiling water and pluck them. I think she used to singe the feathers with a candle as well. The smell was horrific and that's what chicken stock smells like when you make it from scratch. Bleuuggh. I will use stock cubes forever...

Has anyone else lovingly prepared some delicious stock, and then thrown it down the sink when trying to strain the it's out? I may have done this more than once.

I can't believe people saying its poncey, what could be easier than making stock?

The bits, nots the it's.

I am currently boiling some stock up. Bought bones this time form the butcher. I usually use my own but didn't have enough. My tips; freeze lot of bones until you are ready to make a big batch them really cram them down so you have a lot of bones for the amount of water to cover.

It absolutely makes a difference in soups and risotto.

I make stock in my pressure cooker every now and then when my stock of bones is big enough to fill it up. The more bones, the better the stock. I only add peppercorns and bay leaves, once at pressure it takes about half an hour at low heat so it costs virtually nothing. Makes several litres of great stock for soup or risotto. My soup recipe book suggested poaching a whole chicken to make stock, but I didn't think it tasted that much better so I've not bothered since.

Lemon
YABVU. I know I sound a bit woo etc but I want the fact that that chicken died so I could eat not to be forgotten. I'm going to use every little last bit of it.
^^ my thinking exactly

YANBU OP. I'm quite a snobby food snob and will argue to the death that on balance, home cooking is cheaper, better and healthier than processed food but I've had several attempts at making stock and find it an expensive messy time consuming way of making a pan of tasteless dishwater and a smelly house.

So I use kallo cubes or marigold powder. I do get several meals from the chicken first though (roast, paella and noodle soup or bits for the cats).

I used to use Knorr stock cubes - but then I had a baby and had to go to go low sodium....so I switched to Kallo low sat stock cubes. Also gluten free as it happens. I have occasionally done stock but I think unless you've got a pressure cooker or enough space in your freezer to save carcasses and bulk cook it's just not worth it.

glasto

Yes

I'm not sure I have ever thrown out a chicken carcass without first boiling it up for stock.

I used to think it was a pain, especially just for an improved taste, but since I read an article about how good it is for you I try to make it more often.

I think you get a lot of vitamins and minerals from the bones that are easily absorbed by the body, and it's good for joints etc.

I do not like the smell though.

I agree in principle with making stock, but I always end up with a few ladlefuls of brownish water that tastes slightly of chicken fat. I can't work out what I'm doing wrong.

And BTW, monosodium glutamate is a totally naturally-occuring compound - loads of foods contain it. Your stock cube may have it, but so will your wholesome home made stock. People have this impression of it as some fake chemical nasty, but it really isn't. There was a big scare a few years ago about 'chinese restaurant syndrome' where people claimed to get headaches and other symptoms that was blamed on MSG, but it's never been replicated under scientific conditions.

I used to boil up stock with the lid on and got weak chicken water. DH told me to leave the lid off and it was amazing the difference it made. You don't want pints of the stuff. Skim off the fat when it's cool and has risen to the top.

I also thrown in the occasional Parmesan rind. Very good.

I've never made stock, but then I don't make soup or risotto either so there isn't much point.

DandyHighwayman Sun 01-Mar-15 21:40:22
Cheers, I felt guilty not making it.

Yes op, utter waste of time

CurlyWurlyCake

Here is my chicken noodle soup recipe:

Chicken carcass
Big pan boiling water
Marigold stock
The odd carrot that is about to go over
Onion, cut in half
Peper corns and bay leaf - if I have them.

I boil the above for about half to an hour. Strain and keep the stock. Take off any more meat you can from the chicken. I usually still have a leg and wings on mine as my family all want breast.

Add the meat, and any you have saved from the chicken, to the stock. Also add veg, I usually use carrot, peas and sweetcorn. Let it all boil for about 10 mins. Then I add noodles or small pasta shapes. For noodles I use the fine ones and break them up as they go in. They only take 4 mins, longer for pasta.

This can be adapted for what you have in the house. Sometimes I make it just using marigold stock and chicken breasts if the kids ask for it. It is much nicer though with the left over Sunday roast.

It can be frozen and I often take it into work for lunch. Last week DS had it three times as his braces had been tightened and he did not want anything else.

Don't think I ever roast a chicken without making stock - it's not much work, and I use it with the leftover chicken for soup or risotto (makes a huge difference in risotto, I think). Also uses up eg tragic carrots, wilting parsley, etc. that might be lurking in the veg crisper. Giblets make a difference if you can get a chicken with them.

One of my favourite "dear God, what was in that last pint?" moments was coming in from the pub, switching on the TV, and seeing Germaine Greer teaching Bez how to make stock. Had no idea either of them were on sleb BB.

I've made stock from a carcass before that tasted like dishwater and so I didn't bother again for ages. Then I read something about poaching the chicken first for an hour or so, then take the chicken and veg out of the pot, removing the skin (to roast in the oven separately, YUM) and meat, then putting the carcass back in the pot it was poached in with a whole onion for colour and maybe a carrot and celery. Cook with the lid off for another hour on low.

I'm not going to pretend it doesn't take ages and it's a bit of a faff, but my god the stock that you get is amazing. I'm a convert now. The meat falls off the bone after being poached and the soup from the stock is out of this world. I do usually add a ham or chicken stock cube just for extra oomph (heathen!)

When I'm doing roast chicken I make stock from the wings, carrots and onions to add to a gravy. I mash the carrots up and serve as a side dish and add the onions to the stuffing so nothing really gets wasted.

When I cant be arsed I use knorr stock pots. Not a big fan of the cubes.

I gave up after I accidently poured my stock down the sink and collected the bones in the colander

I see some others have had that problem too!

I don't bother with stock cubes - it's easier to open a tin or carton

YANBU

Sayra

I knew my milk was possibly off so bought some more when doing a shop. My friend was visiting so helped me with my shopping. Unbeknownst to me she kindly put the new milk in the fridge just moments before I decided to tip the offish milk away to make space.

Guess what happened next?