Chicken stock

[slinkycat]

I've recently started to use the sunday roast chicken carcass to make stock. Its usually got a fair bit of meat clinging to the bones, and I add chopped onion, celery and carrot, plus seasoning and herbs, then cover with water and either simmer it for a few hours, or slow cook it for ages.
My question is, the resulting liquid smells and tastes lovely, and I've used it as a basis for soups, but is it supposed to turn out as thin as it does?
A recent advert for ready made stock in little tiny tubs said it was "jellified just like home made", or words to that effect.
Am I going wrong somewhere, or is the advert a load of b******s?!

[dizmouk2009]

stock is stock, you are doing everything right. Unless you thicken that stock with something like cornflour or use the stupid stuff on the adverts the no you are doing ok.

[trt]

Try the packet chicken casserole etc you get in the supermarkets, they are good.

[slinkycat]

Thanks diz, I'll carry on as before. Had some bubbling away earlier, it smells great!

[slinkycat]

Ooh no trt, do you mean the colemans or schwarz type mixes? They are so salty:-/

[dizmouk2009]

np slinky, I always make stock from meat, it's the best way. Unfortuanatly I have to disagree with using casserole mixes - I think they are a easy way out for people who don't know how to make a proper 'casserole'. A member of my family is a chef and he/she (no naming people) uses casserole mix and I think he/she does it to make life easier. There isn't anything better than putting a bird in the oven with a big of water and spices and letting the oils and flavourings come out to be used as a nice gravy. If you want it think just get it boiling and add cornflour (mixed with water, don't add as powder or it will go lumpy) whilst stirring.

[slinkycat]

Yes I do use cornflour, but a lot of recipes say "simmer until reduced and thickened". I find that doesn't always work though, so cornflour is always my standby!

[trt]

OMG dizmouk2009,
all that washing up, no thank you.

[dizmouk2009]

Cornflour isn't too much of a problem and it's better to use it than to simmer a pot for so long that it evaporates and leaves you with nothing.

[dizmouk2009]

trt, and that is why dishwashers were invented :)

[slinkycat]

I don't need a dishwasher, I have a husband! Fairs fair, I cook and he clears up the aftermath! Night night

[dizmouk2009]

You're lucky, you would never get me doing that :p night x

[moonshadow]

Cut up a potato into small cubes and add to the pot at the start.The potato will fall apart when over cooked and in turn thicken the stock.The tubs you mention if they are Knorr stock pots I bought some and they are very salty. I rang up Knorr and yes they have added more salt as they have had to stop using Monosodium glutamate to add more flavour.

[LoftyLottie]

Sometimes my chicken stock is very jellified and other times it is not. The longer I simmer it the more jellified it becomes. Jellified or not it still makes a good base for soups. I don't use cornflour in soups because I use a whizzy hand blender thingy on half of it and the veggies thicken the soup.

Got veggie soup made with home made chicken stock tonight for supper!! Grerat in this weather.

[China Doll]

M&S sell fantastic stocks in little packs, (not the cubed nasty ones) at very reasonable prices. I live alone so the idea of cooking a whole chicken to eat just so I can get a bit of stock out of it is at best impractical. They're fairly reasonably priced and my spiced lentil soup is delicious.

[China Doll]

I can make soup and red thai curry and chili con carne and roasts... So nah... ;oP

[LoftyLottie]

I just read China's post as

'M&S sell fantastic SOCKS in little packs and wondered what the hell it had to do with the question. Must find my proper glasses.

[slinkycat]

Ta for all the answers, will try that tip moonshadow, although I usually add a chopped potato after when I use the stock for soup.
Lovely isn't it Lottie, had fish pie tonight, so the chicken soup is made ready for tomorrow:-)

[Androcles]

The problem is very simple. Stock sets if there is enough natural gelatine from the carcase, so make sure you put all the bones, wing tips, skin and cartilage from the breast bone in If you use too much water it gets diluted and won't set, so after you have finished, boil it down until it reduces by half and it should set. The other natural alternative is to cook a pig's trotter or even half one (the butcher will split it for you) in with the carcase and you will soon have a jelly set. Temperature is the other factor - stick it in the fridge or even the back garden in a plastic bag and it should set.

I usually get carcases from the butcher - ask him to save what's left after he has taken the chicken breasts and legs off. I never get one which doens't set!

[woofgang]

i love real stock and do make my own but as there seem to be some new stockmakers on this thread, can i add a word of caution? Stock is champion stuff for growing bugs on and will also ferment a treat if it has vegs in it. Either use your stock immediately or cool it quickly and freeze it...same applies to any soup or such made with your yummy homemade stock as a base.
In the olden days people used to keep a stockpot on the go on the stove, let it cool and set overnight then skim it the next day and boil it again. While there is no doubt that boiling will kill most of the bugs, it doesn't do anything to the toxins that these little scamps secrete and which can lay you low or see you off...so be careful
sorry if I am teaching my grandma to suck eggs......