Using 3 chickens to make stock. Can I repurpose the boiled birds (save/freeze shredded meat for chicken salad or croquetas or... ) ?
thanks for any advice! am about to pull the boids out in next hour or so after it all cools a bit...
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i put a pot to boil, add the chickens and when the water boils again. turn off the heat, cover and let sit for one hour. remove the chicken and strip the meat (saving for another purpose) add the bones back to the water with a mixture of vegetables, salt, pepper, etc and cook for 2 to 3 hours on low for a delicious stock. removing all the solids, of course, before canning or freezing. been doing this for years and its my 'first step' recipe for all others sauces and soups. the chicken meat can be used for any salad, cooked recipe, soup or what have you.
I also don't like the taste of stock made from rotisserie chicken; there's flavorings in the skin, etc.,that I don't think lend themselves to stock.
Put the bird back in wait until it boils again. Shut off the heat, cover the pot...and Walk Away! 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
The results is perfectly cooked poached very moist chicken; not dry at all.
Then go at the bird to remove the meat to store with a bit of the broth. Reduce the poaching liquid while you're doing this. Add back in the bones and some of the skin, and some more aromatics to finish up a stock. It's going to be very light unless you roast the bones and veggie and discard some of the liquid. Then I cool it and chill it and lift off the fat disk and store.
I too hate a poached chicken that's been cooked to death to dry tasteless bits. This is also why the Crock Pot was first rarely used under counter dwellers to go to the thrift store.
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