Chicken stock from a carcass?

I always use my slow cooker. In addition to the chicken carcass I add whatever vegetables I have to hand, herbs and a stock cube. I allow it to simmer for hours then remove the carcass, pick off the meat and return it to the pot together with more vegetables and barley.

Another who uses a slow cooker. 2 hours at least.

Ooh, sounds like a lovely winter soup, Esspee!

I do add a stock cube or 2 when later using it for whatever - it usually goes in the freezer - reduced down - in the meantime.

I use my pressure cooker. Add a carrot, onion, bay leaf and a few black peppercorns.

Twenty minutes then leave it to cool without releasing the pressure.

I do it in a pressure cooker for about 45 minutes, and it's lovely. Chicken bits (anything not eaten or removed for freezing goes in), a couple of onions, veg from the fridge bottom (or leftovers) and a couple of bayleaves.

When it's done, I strain it and either use it or freeze it. After roasting, I pour all the juices into a separator, cool them, take off the fat and add the brown jelly at the bottom of the jug to the stock too.

Snap, merlotgran!

I make gravy with all the lovely stuff in the roasting tin, Doodledog, but any that’s left over will go into the stock, too.

Simmering for at least an hour here with any root veg I happen to have plus a bay leaf. Once it's strained I boil it quite vigorously to reduce it down before using / freezing.

Good tip about saving one in the freezer. I have a friend who does that with orange/lemon rinds and then makes marmalade when she has enough.

I make my stock in a big stock pot and simmer for three hours. To the carcass (chicken or guinea fowl) I add carrots, onions, lemon (which has been inside the chicken) fresh parsley and seasoning. When cooled I divide it up between different sized plastic tubs, label and freeze.

How much water do you use when you pressure cook the carcass please?

I fill it to the max line, which is about 4 pints, I think.

4 pints on top of the ingredients, that is.

I don’t cook anything with it as I add it to the dogs food. But I’ll use it as a soup base. I did one in the slow cooker for several hours last night. When it’s solidified I scoop the fat off and mix it with bread for the birds. A bit cannibalistic I know but I hate wasting anything. And the rooks have ate it almost before I get back inside the house. They have look outs. I think I read not to cook it for too long but I certainly cook it for a few hours.

I am reminded of an old advert probably only seen in Scotland about a chicken called Morag and the immortal line,*Pea and Ham? Fae a chicken?"

I do mine overnight in the slow cooker on low, only add water.
Next morning, I strain it, pour into a bowl, put in fridge for 24 hours.
Skim off top layer of fat, then decant into tubs and freeze,
Use the stock for risottos and similar.

I use my pressure cooker and cook for about 20 minutes. I do add various spices, mostly pickling spice, also a lot of ginger as I like it.

I hesitate to say this but you can buy really good chicken stock.

Oh kitty Don’t spoil our fun. Why would we want the convenience of a stock cube when we can portion up the leftovers for freezer meals etc., boil/slow cook/simmer/whatever the carcass having scrabbled about for a floppy carrot and a sprouting onion, drain it into a large jug - which is preferable to pouring it all down the sink because you’ve forgotten the jug! Waiting for it to cool so you can strip all the rest of the meat from the bones which is now only fit for the dog! Wrapping the carcass up in newspaper if you ever have one these days, disposing of it where it won’t attract vermin then finding enough containers to freeze all the stock which will lurk in the fridge for months because it’s easier to grab a stock cube which doesn’t need defrosting.

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Not a stock cube merlot - perish the thought. I meant those handy tubs of actual stock - you don't even have boil a kettle. Lazy slut that I am.

Really poor quality film of the pea and ham ad. It was one of the most popular ads ever shown in Scotland apparently.

youtu.be/jMnl7H6KVgY

I wish we still had a dog, merlotgran - all those manky stripped-off bits were our dog’s idea of dinner from heaven! And it pleased me that nothing was wasted - the poor old chook had not died in vain.

Grannydarkhair thank you for sharing! I remember it well.

If I have 1 carcass, I use my pressure cooker as Doodle does.

If I am feeling ambitious, I put 3 to 4 whole birds in my turkey roaster and roast them, allow to cool, pick all the meat off, break the bones up to allow the gelatin to come out, put it back in with onions, carrots, celery, a bay leaf and parsley. that cooks for 2 - 3 hours on low.

Strain into a bowl and let cool overnight in the fridge. Skim off fat and can it in jars to be put in my food pantry.

I haven't been that ambitious in years.

merlotgran

Oh kitty Don’t spoil our fun. Why would we want the convenience of a stock cube when we can portion up the leftovers for freezer meals etc., boil/slow cook/simmer/whatever the carcass having scrabbled about for a floppy carrot and a sprouting onion, drain it into a large jug - which is preferable to pouring it all down the sink because you’ve forgotten the jug! Waiting for it to cool so you can strip all the rest of the meat from the bones which is now only fit for the dog! Wrapping the carcass up in newspaper if you ever have one these days, disposing of it where it won’t attract vermin then finding enough containers to freeze all the stock which will lurk in the fridge for months because it’s easier to grab a stock cube which doesn’t need defrosting.

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My big worry is putting the bones somewhere where the dog gets to them given that cooked chicken bones would make her so ill and she’d gobble them down. I then feel guilty putting them in the bin even though I’ve squeezed every bit of goodness out of the poor chicken.