Calculating calories in homemade chicken stock

Schlackity
Schlackity Posts: 268 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Anyone know how to calculate calories on homemade chicken stock? I used the bones (carcass) and any leftover meat of a Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster to make the stock in about 4-5 quarts of water. No salt was added. I strained the liquid and I'm cooling it so I can skim off any fat once it's at the top of the container. The chicken that fell off the bones in the stock will eventually be used in the soup, but I'm trying to figure out the nutritional info for just the stock.

I'm not sure if it would be safer to use the calories in something like Swanson low-sodium broth, or if I should just count it as regular sodium broth because the label for the whole roaster shows a good amount of sodium and fat (for a chicken).

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Replies

  • DRC86
    DRC86 Posts: 1 Member
    If you strain and refrigerate the broth, then skim off all of the fat that solidifies on the surface, the calorie content will be low. Probably under 20 calories per cup. The more fat you miss, the higher the caloric value of the stock. This is one of those things you're going to have to guess at, there's no practical way to determine the exact calorie count.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Not really any practical way to do this....you're just going to have to use your best guess. So long as you're getting most of that fat off, it won't be much
  • Schlackity
    Schlackity Posts: 268 Member
    Thanks for the input! I think as long as I get most of the fat skimmed off, it shouldn't be too bad. May still be a little high in sodium because the roaster itself seemed to be, but I don't usually add salt when I cook anyway so hopefully I'm good to go. :-)
  • TinaBaily
    TinaBaily Posts: 792 Member
    Good for you, making your own chicken stock! I do the same thing, but with storebought whole chickens once I've eaten most of the meat from the bird. I use empty 16oz dairy containers to freeze 2 cup portions of the stock, which is almost the equivalent of a can of stock. Homemade tastes better and is much lower in sodium than the canned, and uber cheap and frugal. Well done!
  • Schlackity
    Schlackity Posts: 268 Member
    Great idea about the dairy containers! I have two really big square Rubbermaid containers full of stock right now, but I know I won't use a whole container for one batch of soup. I've used freezer bags before, but they're kind of wobbly until the liquid freezes. I may have to steal your idea!

    This chicken was the first Oven Stuffer Roaster I had bought in a while. I had no idea how high in sodium and fat it was until after I ate dinner. I just assumed it was as reasonable as regular skinless boneless chicken (because I don't eat the skin, and I usually only eat white meat). I'll have to check the labels on other brands of chicken parts when I make the next batch of stock.
  • littlelexical
    littlelexical Posts: 146 Member
    If you line your container with your plastic freezer bag - then pour in the stock & freeze - you can pop the stock (frozen in the bag) out like an ice cube & tie the top closed & place it in its now solid - perfectly portioned/sized stackable way into the freezer.... Now you can reuse the container for other things!

    It is great if you find a few containers that are all stackable (ie a square, a rectangle that is exactly half the size of the square & a rectangle that is the size of both of those 2 containers together - all in varying heights) then packing the freezer is fantasticly simple & organised & your pi;es of food are less likely to tumble & get a bag tear :)
  • annetteh145
    annetteh145 Posts: 38 Member
    If you line your container with your plastic freezer bag - then pour in the stock & freeze - you can pop the stock (frozen in the bag) out like an ice cube & tie the top closed & place it in its now solid - perfectly portioned/sized stackable way into the freezer.... Now you can reuse the container for other things!

    It is great if you find a few containers that are all stackable (ie a square, a rectangle that is exactly half the size of the square & a rectangle that is the size of both of those 2 containers together - all in varying heights) then packing the freezer is fantasticly simple & organised & your pi;es of food are less likely to tumble & get a bag tear :)

    I love the idea! I like to cook certain things in batches (soups, spaghetti sauces etc) and freeze them in portions... And I always end up using up all of my containers! Very nice idea, thank you!

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