22 replies to this topic

[Emily_R]

Hi Everyone --

When making chicken stock, adding chicken skin of course results in lots of fat that needs to be skimmed off when the stock is cool. I'm wondering if the skin does in fact add flavor (and so I should keep it in and keep skimming), or whether it adds relatively little flavor and I can leave it out...

Emily

[Shel_B]

I make it both ways, and, frankly, I cant tell any significant difference in taste between skin on and skin off. Chicken has fat in it anyway, and it seems to me that there's enough for carrying the flavor.

[ScottyBoy]

I roast chicken wings for my stocks so there's a good deal of skin. There is a great deal of roasted chicken flavor in the stock and the fat that gets skimmed is awesome to add to bags when SV something like a chicken breast.

[Shel_B]

I roast chicken wings for my stocks so there's a good deal of skin. There is a great deal of roasted chicken flavor in the stock and the fat that gets skimmed is awesome to add to bags when SV something like a chicken breast.

I guess you don't find the roasted flavor a detriment. Sometimes I appreciate that flavor, but mostly I want something less intense, a background flavor, a subtle overtone, or "fresher" or "cleaner" flavor than when using roasted chicken.

Edited by Shel_B, 03 December 2012 - 12:34 PM.

[ScottyBoy]

Oh sure. I'll make a blonde stock if I need one. I use this roast chicken water mostly in hearty soups, mainly for my mushroom soup that I'm known for. It's a strong chicken flavor for sure. Reduced to a jus with any kind of poultry dish it's an awesome concentrated poultry flavor. And like I said, poaching breasts in the fat was a revelation to add chicken flavor to a lean cut.

[Shalmanese]

Uncooked chicken skin adds a little bit of flavor but adds a ton of gelatin. Browned chicken skin adds an insane amount of browned flavor.

[Charcuterer]

I add the skin, I figure I am going to chill the stock anyway and the fat turns onto a hard cap that's easy to remove so why not? I love a stock with plenty of body so Shalmanese's post makes sense to me.

[Daniel72]

I use chicken wings only for when making stock, be it white or brown - amazing flavour, very fresh and plenty of bone to get that jelly feel to the chilled stock.

[rlibkind]

Add a couple feet to really insure a gelatinous body. You'll probably have aspic after an overnight in the fridge to create that easily-removed schmaltz cap.

[thock]

I just made a stock from a package of legs. I took the meat out and used it for a one-pot meal, and returned the skin, bones, etc. to the crock pot. After a while, I strained it, and put it into the fridge, without reducing it. It was wonderfully jelly-like, without too much fat. I skimmed what fat there was, and reduced it by half. It's in the freezer, now, and will be canned when I have enough stocks for a full canner load. IMO, the skin adds a lot of gelatin and flavor.

[Crouton]

Why would you want a light chicken stock at home? If I want a "cleaner" flavor I would use water.

[mkayahara]

You make risotto with just water?

[Crouton]

I don't make risotto.

[mkayahara]

Then it seems a bit precipitate to dismiss those who make chicken stock at home.

[Crouton]

Then it seems a bit precipitate to dismiss those who make chicken stock at home.

I wasn't dismissing, i was asking why you'd prefer a light chicken stock at home. In a restaurant I could understand, but at home I tend to go for maximum flavor

Edited by Crouton, 05 December 2012 - 11:26 AM.

[mkayahara]

If you were just asking, then I guess the answer I would give is: risotto. (Among other things.) I mean, yes, water can be used to great effect in some preparations, but having a neutral stock is extremely useful, even for home cooks. It's great for pan sauces, too, where you want the mouthfeel of stock, without necessarily wanting the flavours associated with a dark stock. I would say I use light chicken stock the way restaurants use light veal stock, since chicken is a lot easier for me to source.

[Emily_R]

I agree that there is a use for light stock -- I find that in certain soups -- often vegetable or legume based -- I want the body and some of the flavor that comes from chicken stock, but I don't want it to wind up tasting like chicken soup...

[Bjs229]

IMHO chicken skin infuses a ton of flavor. I prefer non roasted. I saw it mentioned earlier, I love using the feet as well. As far as intensity, you can always use water to dilute.

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[OliverB]

anything that's left over from a roast chicken goes in the pot, with not much thought at all. It's all good :-)

[thock]

If you were just asking, then I guess the answer I would give is: risotto. (Among other things.) I mean, yes, water can be used to great effect in some preparations, but having a neutral stock is extremely useful, even for home cooks. It's great for pan sauces, too, where you want the mouthfeel of stock, without necessarily wanting the flavours associated with a dark stock. I would say I use light chicken stock the way restaurants use light veal stock, since chicken is a lot easier for me to source.

I agree. I have a couple of pounds of chicken feet that I'm going to make stock out of, just for that reason. Sometimes, I just want the body, without the flavor. Without adding powdered gelatin. If that makes me weird, so be it. I've been called weird about a lot of thngs, so one more won't hurt.

[ScottyBoy]

Nothing wrong with using something just for texture my friend.

[Shalmanese]

I don't get people's aversion to powdered gelatin. Somehow, kosher salt and white sugar are ok, white vinegar is somewhat marginalized and MSG & powdered gelatin are considered evil, industrial products.

[thock]

No aversion to powdered gelatin, here. It's just more of a PITA to use, for me, than popping open a jar of home-canned stock. No need to wait for it to bloom, etc. Plus, I hardly keep it around.

And frankly, I'm a geek. I LIKE extracting my own gelatin from the source, as it were.