I've been plumb out of homemade chicken broth for about two weeks now. What is it they say about never missing something until you don't have it? The recipes for the soups I've wanted to make and dishes I've wanted to concoct keep getting shoved back into my recipe box because one of the main ingredients is chicken broth. And there has been none in my freezer to use.
So this last Tuesday night, I went to the freezer and pulled out two young, healthy (extra and not needed) roosters (sorry, guys) that we had processed and stored there for future use.
First thing yesterday morning, I put them in my biggest pot, added onions, celery and carrots along with a sprinkling of herbs and lots of water and let it simmer all day. Out to the cold back porch the roosters and pot went over night to be brought in this morning for several more hours of slow cooking.
Over two gallons of rich, flavorful, nutrition-packed chicken broth came from my gigantic stewing pot.
I also had a good amount of meat that needed to be separated from skin and bone.This was a job my mother loved to do. She's sit happily picking every piece of delectable, tender meat from this pile of cooked meat and bones.
Unfortunately, this isn't a trait that she passed on down to me. It's one of the putzy tasks that I'd just as soon not have to do. But no sense whining and wasting all that really good meat, so I do it. With a smile on my face. Thinking of all the good meals I'll be able to make with the delicious, homegrown meat. Still, I can't help but raise my eyes to the heavens and mutter, "Okay, Mom, where are you when I need you?"
Yummy! The other night I was able to get Tramp 1 to pick the chicken bones clean for me. I ironed his shirt for him. Normally he likes to iron his own shirts - he calls it "therapy"! What a guy...
ReplyDeleteI'm with you - I hate sitting and picking through poultry carcasses LOL, but it's so worth it! Blech and yum, all at the same time :)
ReplyDelete2 Tramps - What a guy, indeed! You just don't run across many guys who iron!
ReplyDeleteErin - Blech and yum, all at the same time? I agree with you. And I think we both need therapy. ;o}
Do you use whole allspice and whole cloves in your soup? I hate picking the bones too!
ReplyDeleteI normally make my broth in the pressure cooker, so much faster. Cooks the meat off the bone in 20-25 minutes.
ReplyDeleteDr. Momi - Thanks for commenting! No, I've never used allspice or cloves . . . in the chicken broth, you mean?
ReplyDeletebecky3086 - I had a pressure cooker when we were first married and for some reason gave it away. Guess I just didn't use it that much. Maybe I shouldn't have. :o(
We've been buying organic broth but we really should make our own. We have a freezer we could freeze it in too but right now it's full of buckets of ice with bread mostly in it. Time to get busy.
ReplyDeleteDo you freeze the chicken meat or use it right away in some soups?
Sparkless - Yepper, making your own broth is so much more economical . . . and healthier and richer. I froze all the broth and meat today. Hubby's favorite soup is Wild Rice with Chicken so in the next couple of days I'll use some of the broth and chicken for a double batch of that . . . which will then go into the freezer, too. I got enough broth and meat to make a lot of different dishes.
ReplyDeleteyou are busy today-but just looking at all those pickings would make my hubby's mouth water- every time I make chicken and dumping he cleans up on the bones-no waste around here. but I did find a bakery/thrift store that has home made ciabatta and other good breads cheap-ciabatta 10 cents, I can't make it that cheap !you must have a BIG FREEZER.
ReplyDeletejudy - I have more than one freezer! I grow and freeze enough vegetables to feed us year round so I need a lot of space. I know you can can veggies, too, but we both prefer them frozen.
ReplyDeleteyou have to try about 5 or 6 whole allspice and 3 whole cloves in the chicken broth, let it simmer the whole 2 days --- you'll like it!!
ReplyDeleteDr. Momi - I love how I learn so much through blogging and comments. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI ruined my family forever by using Oregon Blossom wine by willamette Valley Vineyards about 8 yrs ago with my turkey. when I made up the stock from the carcass, the wine flavor changed everything! Now, I have to make stock will all the seasonings and a good couple dashes of wine. I don't trust freezers - lived in too many places where the electricity can go out for a week at a time. I can my stock. Yes, you should have kept the pressure cooker.
ReplyDeleteRobin - Welcome and thanks for commenting! Gosh, I've never used wine in my broths either! I've still got a lot to learn. I agree with you, canning is the most economical and "trustworthy" way to preserve . . . except possibly dehydrating for some things, mainly because it takes up less storage space.
ReplyDeleteNow you've got me to thinking: What ever DID happen to that pressure cooker??
I'll have to try that Robin!
ReplyDeleteYummy! I pick the meat from bones for my friend, Diana. She just hates it. Funny, I never really thought about it until we were boiling a pheasant one day. It always makes her day when I give her a pile of perfect chicken meat!
ReplyDelete~~Lori
Lori - I think it's one of those jobs that you either like to do or run screaming the other way.
ReplyDeleteWould you do mine, too, from now on?