Homemade Chicken Stock

So this morning I started a pot of homemade chicken stock. I tried to look up what the calories of it would be, but everyone says something different. Does anyone have an idea of how to solve this?

The stock is chicken bones & skin (a tiny bit of meat left on the bones) and scraps from onions, carrots & celery. Everything will be strained out of the stock, and after it cools I will remove the fat.
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Replies

  • Brian_LaFevre899
    Brian_LaFevre899 Posts: 15 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I usually just log my fave store-bought chicken stock, as I don't think there is any reliable way to figure it out, short of contacting with a lab to test it for you!

    Makes sense, that's kinda what I expected. Thanks!
  • swirlybee
    swirlybee Posts: 497 Member
    Ditto to what kimny said, especially if you're removing the fat anyway.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    Canned or boxed chicken broth (read Swanson) is not really what you are producing in your kitchen. Restaurant "low fat" chicken soup minus the carrot pieces and tiny bits of chicken is what you have.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Because then you can store said fat in a separate container and use it for other things. Or at least that's what I do. It still tastes worlds above what I can get in the store.
  • Safari_Gal
    Safari_Gal Posts: 888 Member
    edited February 2019
    Kudos to anyone who can make a great broth. I make a lot of soup and stews so I use them as a base.

    I usually use the nutritional info from a store in my neighborhood since I use the same ingredients. (Brodo in NY) Wish mine tasted as good!!
    7u8zvm108lis.png
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Because then you can store said fat in a separate container and use it for other things. Or at least that's what I do. It still tastes worlds above what I can get in the store.

    Of course, you are going to do the right thing, due to your general culinary awesomeness. I just get a little weepy thinking of all the people making homemade stock, skimming the fat, and throwing it out. :'( That stuff is like gold. Organic, free-range chicken fat is currently $18.74 for a cup's worth on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chicken-Schmaltz-Kettle-Rendered/dp/B01EAE7C4I?th=1
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Because then you can store said fat in a separate container and use it for other things. Or at least that's what I do. It still tastes worlds above what I can get in the store.

    Of course, you are going to do the right thing, due to your general culinary awesomeness. I just get a little weepy thinking of all the people making homemade stock, skimming the fat, and throwing it out. :'( That stuff is like gold. Organic, free-range chicken fat is currently $18.74 for a cup's worth on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chicken-Schmaltz-Kettle-Rendered/dp/B01EAE7C4I?th=1

    Aw :) Duck fat is another "OMG this is so expensive, just buy an expensive frozen duck at your local Asian market if you have one" sort of thing. Unless I'm going to make duck confit...in which case I need to buy extra fat. That and the general horror when people roast duck and then throw the fat away!

    All of this talk about chicken broth is making me want to make matzo ball soup...
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Because then you can store said fat in a separate container and use it for other things. Or at least that's what I do. It still tastes worlds above what I can get in the store.

    Of course, you are going to do the right thing, due to your general culinary awesomeness. I just get a little weepy thinking of all the people making homemade stock, skimming the fat, and throwing it out. :'( That stuff is like gold. Organic, free-range chicken fat is currently $18.74 for a cup's worth on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chicken-Schmaltz-Kettle-Rendered/dp/B01EAE7C4I?th=1

    Aw :) Duck fat is another "OMG this is so expensive, just buy an expensive frozen duck at your local Asian market if you have one" sort of thing. Unless I'm going to make duck confit...in which case I need to buy extra fat. That and the general horror when people roast duck and then throw the fat away!

    All of this talk about chicken broth is making me want to make matzo ball soup...

    I know, I was just thinking lovingly of matzos too.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Because then you can store said fat in a separate container and use it for other things. Or at least that's what I do. It still tastes worlds above what I can get in the store.

    Of course, you are going to do the right thing, due to your general culinary awesomeness. I just get a little weepy thinking of all the people making homemade stock, skimming the fat, and throwing it out. :'( That stuff is like gold. Organic, free-range chicken fat is currently $18.74 for a cup's worth on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chicken-Schmaltz-Kettle-Rendered/dp/B01EAE7C4I?th=1

    Aw :) Duck fat is another "OMG this is so expensive, just buy an expensive frozen duck at your local Asian market if you have one" sort of thing. Unless I'm going to make duck confit...in which case I need to buy extra fat. That and the general horror when people roast duck and then throw the fat away!

    All of this talk about chicken broth is making me want to make matzo ball soup...

    I know, I was just thinking lovingly of matzos too.

    It's like we're the same person - except I don't have an angora.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Because then you can store said fat in a separate container and use it for other things. Or at least that's what I do. It still tastes worlds above what I can get in the store.

    Of course, you are going to do the right thing, due to your general culinary awesomeness. I just get a little weepy thinking of all the people making homemade stock, skimming the fat, and throwing it out. :'( That stuff is like gold. Organic, free-range chicken fat is currently $18.74 for a cup's worth on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chicken-Schmaltz-Kettle-Rendered/dp/B01EAE7C4I?th=1

    Aw :) Duck fat is another "OMG this is so expensive, just buy an expensive frozen duck at your local Asian market if you have one" sort of thing. Unless I'm going to make duck confit...in which case I need to buy extra fat. That and the general horror when people roast duck and then throw the fat away!

    All of this talk about chicken broth is making me want to make matzo ball soup...

    I know, I was just thinking lovingly of matzos too.

    It's like we're the same person - except I don't have an angora.

    Well, have a couple of kids, have them join 4-H, and then you will have more fuzzy bunnies and other critters than you know what to do with. :#:D
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Because then you can store said fat in a separate container and use it for other things. Or at least that's what I do. It still tastes worlds above what I can get in the store.

    Of course, you are going to do the right thing, due to your general culinary awesomeness. I just get a little weepy thinking of all the people making homemade stock, skimming the fat, and throwing it out. :'( That stuff is like gold. Organic, free-range chicken fat is currently $18.74 for a cup's worth on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Chicken-Schmaltz-Kettle-Rendered/dp/B01EAE7C4I?th=1

    Aw :) Duck fat is another "OMG this is so expensive, just buy an expensive frozen duck at your local Asian market if you have one" sort of thing. Unless I'm going to make duck confit...in which case I need to buy extra fat. That and the general horror when people roast duck and then throw the fat away!

    All of this talk about chicken broth is making me want to make matzo ball soup...

    I know, I was just thinking lovingly of matzos too.

    It's like we're the same person - except I don't have an angora.

    Well, have a couple of kids, have them join 4-H, and then you will have more fuzzy bunnies and other critters than you know what to do with. :#:D

    At least one kid was already on my "want to eventual have" list. I'll augment that with, "they need to want to do 4-H" :D
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    edited February 2019
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Gelatin is what actually makes homemade stock awesome and sets it apart from store bought. Fat just sort of floats on top unless you're making a tonkatsu type cloudy broth where the stock is boiled hard until the fat is actually emulsified into the broth. The fact can absolutely be skimmed and saved for other purposes though.

    Quick side note...if you want the richness of a homemade stock but don't have the time nor inclination to make it yourself, fortify the store bought stuff with unflavored gelatin. It'll do wonders for the quality of your soups, stews, braises, or pan sauces, etc.

    Edited to add: re: calories in plain stock with fat skimmed off. It's negligible. Not really worth counting. Maybe add 50-100 calories per quart or so, but it won't make much of a difference unless you're drinking gallons of it at a time.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Gelatin is what actually makes homemade stock awesome and sets it apart from store bought. Fat just sort of floats on top unless you're making a tonkatsu type cloudy broth where the stock is boiled hard until the fat is actually emulsified into the broth. The fact can absolutely be skimmed and saved for other purposes though.

    Quick side note...if you want the richness of a homemade stock but don't have the time nor inclination to make it yourself, fortify the store bought stuff with unflavored gelatin. It'll do wonders for the quality of your soups, stews, braises, or pan sauces, etc.

    Edited to add: re: calories in plain stock with fat skimmed off. It's negligible. Not really worth counting. Maybe add 50-100 calories per quart or so, but it won't make much of a difference unless you're drinking gallons of it at a time.

    That fat floats on top of a soup is neither here nor there, if you are eating said soup with a spoon. Every time you take a bite you are getting a portion of the fat. Of course, it might present challenges if you are drinking it with a straw. ;) I think it's crucial for not just the flavor, but the silky finish it leaves on your palate.

    I agree that gelatin is crucial for homemade stock as well; it has never occurred to me that it would be stripped out of store bought stock--do they actually do that? Or are they just not taking hours and hours to make their stock and really extract the gelatin from the bones?

    But I see fat as equally important, and the different elements of stock to be symbiotic, not something that you can extract out or insert in. I guess people swear that skim milk is delicious as well, but I ain't buying it.

    In my experience with different breeds and ages of chickens, there is absolutely no comparison to an old free-range, pastured, heritage breed laying hen with a high fat level, or to a younger Poulet Rouge roaster (a French heirloom noted for its fat distribution), vs. the typical grocery store bird--some kind of poor tortured Cornish Cross presumably. The fat just makes the flavor explode. If I can get some old Buff Orpington layers or something, there is no comparison to the flavor and the nice level of fat.

    At any rate, every stock I have made has been a unique reflection of the individual chicken(s) involved, as well as the mix of herbs and veggies I have going on in my garden, or, conversely, bought from the store. I have stolen fat out of the many containers of stock I have in my chest freezer, but not without an immense amount of regret. Both because some dish is getting cheated down the road, but also because it's no longer a reflection of the chickenness of that particular chicken. (I buy directly from a local farm, and when you have been face to face with your future food, you develop some odd notions of respect for the animal). I prefer to set aside some pan drippings from a roast chicken for future use.

    Duly noted on adding a packet of gelatin to store bought stick....thus far I have found the only thing that makes Swanson's really super great is boiling a chicken and a large bundle of thyme in it. :)

    And herewith ends French Peasant's Stock Manifesto. :D
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Gelatin is what actually makes homemade stock awesome and sets it apart from store bought. Fat just sort of floats on top unless you're making a tonkatsu type cloudy broth where the stock is boiled hard until the fat is actually emulsified into the broth. The fact can absolutely be skimmed and saved for other purposes though.

    Quick side note...if you want the richness of a homemade stock but don't have the time nor inclination to make it yourself, fortify the store bought stuff with unflavored gelatin. It'll do wonders for the quality of your soups, stews, braises, or pan sauces, etc.

    Edited to add: re: calories in plain stock with fat skimmed off. It's negligible. Not really worth counting. Maybe add 50-100 calories per quart or so, but it won't make much of a difference unless you're drinking gallons of it at a time.

    That fat floats on top of a soup is neither here nor there, if you are eating said soup with a spoon. Every time you take a bite you are getting a portion of the fat. Of course, it might present challenges if you are drinking it with a straw. ;) I think it's crucial for not just the flavor, but the silky finish it leaves on your palate.

    I agree that gelatin is crucial for homemade stock as well; it has never occurred to me that it would be stripped out of store bought stock--do they actually do that? Or are they just not taking hours and hours to make their stock and really extract the gelatin from the bones?

    But I see fat as equally important, and the different elements of stock to be symbiotic, not something that you can extract out or insert in. I guess people swear that skim milk is delicious as well, but I ain't buying it.

    In my experience with different breeds and ages of chickens, there is absolutely no comparison to an old free-range, pastured, heritage breed laying hen with a high fat level, or to a younger Poulet Rouge roaster (a French heirloom noted for its fat distribution), vs. the typical grocery store bird--some kind of poor tortured Cornish Cross presumably. The fat just makes the flavor explode. If I can get some old Buff Orpington layers or something, there is no comparison to the flavor and the nice level of fat.

    At any rate, every stock I have made has been a unique reflection of the individual chicken(s) involved, as well as the mix of herbs and veggies I have going on in my garden, or, conversely, bought from the store. I have stolen fat out of the many containers of stock I have in my chest freezer, but not without an immense amount of regret. Both because some dish is getting cheated down the road, but also because it's no longer a reflection of the chickenness of that particular chicken. (I buy directly from a local farm, and when you have been face to face with your future food, you develop some odd notions of respect for the animal). I prefer to set aside some pan drippings from a roast chicken for future use.

    Duly noted on adding a packet of gelatin to store bought stick....thus far I have found the only thing that makes Swanson's really super great is boiling a chicken and a large bundle of thyme in it. :)

    And herewith ends French Peasant's Stock Manifesto. :D

    Manufacturers don't strip the gelatin out of stock, they just never introduce it to begin with. It's basically flavored water - Mark Bittman goes so far as to recommend boiling a couple of carrots, celery, and onion for 10 minutes or so and using that as a soup base instead of using unmodified store bought stock.

    The classic stock recipe instructs the cook to skim all fat off the stock before using, or to refrigerate the stock and then lift off the congealed fat pieces. Fat can be reintroduced when that stock is employed in a final preparation but for the most part you don't want it in the base, especially in the quantities that usually accumulate when making stock from scratch. I like fat as much as the next person, but I've found that if you have enough gelatin in your stock you won't be wanting for flavor nor fat.
  • swirlybee
    swirlybee Posts: 497 Member
    I have nothing to add, except that I'm enjoying the discussion between @DX2JX2 and @French_Peasant . I'm learning a lot.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    Why would you remove the fat? That's what makes it AWESOME, and sets it apart from the junk you get at the store!

    Gelatin is what actually makes homemade stock awesome and sets it apart from store bought. Fat just sort of floats on top unless you're making a tonkatsu type cloudy broth where the stock is boiled hard until the fat is actually emulsified into the broth. The fact can absolutely be skimmed and saved for other purposes though.

    Quick side note...if you want the richness of a homemade stock but don't have the time nor inclination to make it yourself, fortify the store bought stuff with unflavored gelatin. It'll do wonders for the quality of your soups, stews, braises, or pan sauces, etc.

    Edited to add: re: calories in plain stock with fat skimmed off. It's negligible. Not really worth counting. Maybe add 50-100 calories per quart or so, but it won't make much of a difference unless you're drinking gallons of it at a time.

    That fat floats on top of a soup is neither here nor there, if you are eating said soup with a spoon. Every time you take a bite you are getting a portion of the fat. Of course, it might present challenges if you are drinking it with a straw. ;) I think it's crucial for not just the flavor, but the silky finish it leaves on your palate.

    I agree that gelatin is crucial for homemade stock as well; it has never occurred to me that it would be stripped out of store bought stock--do they actually do that? Or are they just not taking hours and hours to make their stock and really extract the gelatin from the bones?

    But I see fat as equally important, and the different elements of stock to be symbiotic, not something that you can extract out or insert in. I guess people swear that skim milk is delicious as well, but I ain't buying it.

    In my experience with different breeds and ages of chickens, there is absolutely no comparison to an old free-range, pastured, heritage breed laying hen with a high fat level, or to a younger Poulet Rouge roaster (a French heirloom noted for its fat distribution), vs. the typical grocery store bird--some kind of poor tortured Cornish Cross presumably. The fat just makes the flavor explode. If I can get some old Buff Orpington layers or something, there is no comparison to the flavor and the nice level of fat.

    At any rate, every stock I have made has been a unique reflection of the individual chicken(s) involved, as well as the mix of herbs and veggies I have going on in my garden, or, conversely, bought from the store. I have stolen fat out of the many containers of stock I have in my chest freezer, but not without an immense amount of regret. Both because some dish is getting cheated down the road, but also because it's no longer a reflection of the chickenness of that particular chicken. (I buy directly from a local farm, and when you have been face to face with your future food, you develop some odd notions of respect for the animal). I prefer to set aside some pan drippings from a roast chicken for future use.

    Duly noted on adding a packet of gelatin to store bought stick....thus far I have found the only thing that makes Swanson's really super great is boiling a chicken and a large bundle of thyme in it. :)

    And herewith ends French Peasant's Stock Manifesto. :D

    Manufacturers don't strip the gelatin out of stock, they just never introduce it to begin with. It's basically flavored water - Mark Bittman goes so far as to recommend boiling a couple of carrots, celery, and onion for 10 minutes or so and using that as a soup base instead of using unmodified store bought stock.

    The classic stock recipe instructs the cook to skim all fat off the stock before using, or to refrigerate the stock and then lift off the congealed fat pieces. Fat can be reintroduced when that stock is employed in a final preparation but for the most part you don't want it in the base, especially in the quantities that usually accumulate when making stock from scratch. I like fat as much as the next person, but I've found that if you have enough gelatin in your stock you won't be wanting for flavor nor fat.

    Yeah, I yell at Julia Child too--"Not the fat, Julia! NO!!! NOT the canned stock!"

    As I had stated above, my primary concern is people making the stock and just throwing out the valuable fat. Every recipe says to skim the fat, but the vast majority don't tell you to be sure to treasure it and use it for X, Y or Z.

    I am generally making more full-bodied rustic dishes that --many times--start with a roux, so the fat is not that noticeable. If I have a particularly fatty chicken, I will take off some of the fat (and probably use it for a roux), but that's not the kind of thing that I can just buy at the store willy nilly, so it's not as often as I would like. I am also not reducing the stock too far; I just have about a quarter inch of fat for each quart container (the squarish Ziploc ones), which is reasonable amount.

    Besides, I already have a lifetime supply of bacon grease I need to work my way through. I don't want to add too much schmaltz to that.

    If I were planning on making more delicate clear soups or light sauces, yeah, I would definitely skim it out (and take further steps to really clarify it). I like my broth (and my martinis) on the dirty side. And duly noted on the gelatin packet trick....I will get some and give it a try. Certainly easier than 10 hours of chicken feet brewing on the stove.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    swirlybee wrote: »
    I have nothing to add, except that I'm enjoying the discussion between @DX2JX2 and @French_Peasant . I'm learning a lot.

    Oh, I could talk about stock all day, LOL. I am so happy when I have my big red stock pot steaming away on the stove on a cold winter day!
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    Commercial chicken broth, sometimes also called chicken stock has close to zero solids.

    Home made chicken "stock" even after straining has a lot of solids, some soluble, some suspended. Hence the rich flavor and mouth feel.

    An addition of a teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base will turn the home made chicken stock into a soup ready for egg noodles with a very low calorie count.

    The schmaltz goes well with matzos or dumplings as an ethnic substitute for butter. A spoon dip of dumplings catching a bit of the yellow floating chicken fat is what my Polish ancestors cherished. For my part, I can skip the schmaltz and if I want a really rich mouth feel, there is nothing equal to a squirt of EVOO or even a half pat of butter right in the soup.