Homemade Broth/Stock lasts how long?

[nickrey]

No freezer required.

 

I put my finished stock in Ball mason jars and process it in a pressure canner. When the stock cools, it is shelf stable and I can store it in the cupboard until it is needed. 

[blbst36]

13 hours ago, gfweb said:

 

If the stock is in a ziplock it won't freezer burn or Melt.  Zip locks frozen lying flat can then be stacked and keep forever. 

 

Then you have a better freezer than me.  Anything I put in a ziplock gets freezer burn.  It's not just the container, it's the environment.

 

11 hours ago, FeChef said:

I save chinese takeout soup containers and freeze my homemade stock in them. They never get freezer burnt. As a matter of fact, i have pork stock thats over 2 years old that doesnt have a bit of frost in it. Maybe a few ice crystals but there crystal clear.

Then you have a better freezer than me.

 

7 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

I do like the Chinese takeout-style soup containers for freezing some things. Since I tend to use smaller amounts of stock at a time, though, I save 8 oz. Daisy sour cream containers. These are excellent for freezing the drippings from roasting chicken along with the fat on top. This is enough to make a generous gravy or sauce for two or more. Just be sure to leave a little headroom for expansion upon freezing. I take a Sharpie and write the contents on the lid. I have some pork drippings from ribs in a couple of Daisy containers for ramen broth, single servings of spaghetti or pizza sauce, whatever you have. I have crappy freezers too! but these thick plastic containers keep stuff fine anyway.

 

The containers last for years and can be recycled when they finally give out. Just make sure you don't get impatient and try to pry the lid off straight out of the freezer. I've cracked a few lids that way, because the plastic is too stiff when that cold to have enough give to release without breaking. The sealed containers are waterproof so you can run them under warm water for a little bit to get the lid pliable enough to release to say break some chicken fat off the top layer to start the roux for your gravy. Grapefruit spoon works great to get frozen chix fat off the top of the frozen broth.

 

@blbst36,

 

Sorry about your freezer issues, and welcome to renting in North Carolina. The government and the law are in cahoots, I think, with big property owners and management companies. You need to buy or find a private landlord with a sense of ethics. They exist. I rented from a wonderful individual in Raleigh near NC State for a year or two when I first moved here. Nicest person you could ask for. Unfortunately, I nested 28 years ago in a property owned by Tar Heel Companies. 

Yea, I've been here a while.  It's not a surprise.  It's just annoying.  I tried to find an actual house to rent last year, but no dice.  I figured they would have better refrigerator/freezers.

[gfweb]

29 minutes ago, blbst36 said:

Then you have a better freezer than me.  Anything I put in a ziplock gets freezer burn.  It's not just the container, it's the environment.

 

 

 

If the air is squeezed out of the zip lock it cannot freezer burn.

As far as I know freezer quality does not prevent freezer burn, packaging does.

And Since freezer burn comes from liquid sublimating out of a meat, I'm not sure how stock could even do it.

[Smithy]

48 minutes ago, blbst36 said:

Then you have a better freezer than me.  Anything I put in a ziplock gets freezer burn.  It's not just the container, it's the environment.

 

16 minutes ago, gfweb said:

 

If the air is squeezed out of the zip lock it cannot freezer burn.

As far as I know freezer quality does not prevent freezer burn, packaging does.

And Since freezer burn comes from liquid sublimating out of a meat, I'm not sure how stock could even do it.

 

@blbst36, is it possible that what you perceive as freezer burn is actually the development of off-tastes from other products in the freezer?  I think gfweb is correct about the mechanics of freezer burn.  I do not ask this in order to be pedantic, but in order to (perhaps) help you find a solution to the problem. Off-flavors from an inadequately cold freezer would be just as annoying as freezer burn, but the fix might be different.

[lindag]

I never had much luck with zip locks in the freezer.  #1, it's hard to get ALL the air out.  #2, Air seems to penetrate the bag while frozen and leads to frost in the bag and freezer burn.

[Anna N]

 Except for stocks and other liquids, I'm not inclined to use  resealable bags in the freezer.   I have never had an issue with liquids  in these bags.  I could use the Archimedes principle (here ) to get out more air but I don't bother. I just get out as much as I can by folding over-the-top carefully so I don't spill the contents. YMMV. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

If I store meat in the freezer I vacuum seal the meat, as I did for strips of lovely bacon a few days ago.  I have been known to freeze liquid in ice trays and then vacuum seal the cubes.

 

[Captain]

I do have a cast iron stomach and a keen sense of smell @Anna N lol.

I'm not overly concerned because the use of my stock will be heated to probably over 65c for whatever it's intended use.  I suppose you could always micro wave it to just under boiling to kill any bacteria before use.

[Anna N]

49 minutes ago, Captain said:

I do have a cast iron stomach and a keen sense of smell @Anna N lol.

I'm not overly concerned because the use of my stock will be heated to probably over 65c for whatever it's intended use.  I suppose you could always micro wave it to just under boiling to kill any bacteria before use.

Life itself is a risk. We all choose which extra ones we will take. There are those of us who belong to the Michael Ruhlman camp and those of us who belong to the Harold McGee camp. Guess  which camp I'm in. 

[caroled]

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 10:56 PM, gfweb said:

Yup. i buy them, "deli containers", on amazon. Great for stock or leftovers or giving guests stuff to take home. Dirt cheap and last forever.

 We do this same thing, except we asked our local favorite Chinese place would they sell us some of their containers...they did... they ordered an entire case for us, pint size 250  lids, 250 containers... all for around $34.00.

[gfweb]

20 hours ago, Captain said:

I do have a cast iron stomach and a keen sense of smell @Anna N lol.

I'm not overly concerned because the use of my stock will be heated to probably over 65c for whatever it's intended use.  I suppose you could always micro wave it to just under boiling to kill any bacteria before use.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-stable_enterotoxin

[JoNorvelleWalker]

"Glace can last for months in the refrigerator"*

 

*eGCI Team

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/25256-stocks-and-sauces-class-unit-1-day1/

 

[Anna N]

4 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

"Glace can last for months in the refrigerator"*

 

*eGCI Team

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/25256-stocks-and-sauces-class-unit-1-day1/

 

 But I think glace is quite different from very liquid stock. I would be much more comfortable keeping glace in the refrigerator although knowing how obsessive I am, I'd probably still freeze it. 

[cdh]

When I do glace to keep in the fridge I keep it in a microwave-able ramekin, with a good cm of fat on top.  Spoon out however much glace you want, then toss the ramekin into the microwave and nuke til boiling... then back into the fridge where the fat layer seals it when it solidifies.

[blbst36]

On 9/23/2017 at 2:33 PM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

"Glace can last for months in the refrigerator"*

 

*eGCI Team

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/25256-stocks-and-sauces-class-unit-1-day1/

 

So, it's just reduced stock?  Or is there another qualifier?  My stock is never very liquidy.  It's always more gel-like consistency.

[Anna N]

57 minutes ago, blbst36 said:

So, it's just reduced stock?  Or is there another qualifier?  My stock is never very liquidy.  It's always more gel-like consistency.

See this.

[blbst36]

18 hours ago, Anna N said:

See this.

Thanks!  It could definitely be an option if it lasts longer in the fridge!

[Soupcon]

I assume most of the readers of this topic are home cooks. Why not can the stock instead of freezing it? Yes, it takes another hour of your time,  but then it does not take up freezer space and can sit on the shelf for as long as necessary. I can all my stocks in 16 oz jars (1/2 liter if you are on the continent) just to save freezer space. Infinitely portable and I since I rarely use a litre of stock at time, also less wastefull. Now I have enough jars all I need to buy are lids for canning and occasionally replacement rings.

[Anna N]

1 minute ago, Soupcon said:

Why not can the stock instead of freezing it?

I suspect because not many of us own a canner. 

[Soupcon]

Just now, Anna N said:

I suspect because not many of us own a canner. 

Hi Anna,

My pressure canner is made by Presto and has a two piece weight for canning at 12 and 15/16 lbs of pressure depending on what you are canning. BTW I have no interest in Presto. I looked at all the pressure canners on the market and this was the cheapest as I don't can in huge quantities. I works on the same principle as the one your mom years ago probably had but is much larger. Not difficult to use at all and for those of us who like to cook, will save you money in the long run.

[Anna N]

Perhaps others will give it consideration. I am awfully glad it works for you but I don’t see a canner in my future.  But I thank you for sharing your experience. 

[lindag]

The big Presto canner I bought several years ago to can some beets lasted only one season...only because it was really overkill for me.  I ended up gifting it to my cleaning woman who would actually use it.

[blbst36]

On 9/30/2017 at 7:01 PM, Soupcon said:

I assume most of the readers of this topic are home cooks. Why not can the stock instead of freezing it? Yes, it takes another hour of your time,  but then it does not take up freezer space and can sit on the shelf for as long as necessary. I can all my stocks in 16 oz jars (1/2 liter if you are on the continent) just to save freezer space. Infinitely portable and I since I rarely use a litre of stock at time, also less wastefull. Now I have enough jars all I need to buy are lids for canning and occasionally replacement rings.

 

I don't own a canner or any canning supplies except the I use for other things.  I live in an apartment where storage is at a premium.  I've already gotten rid of things I don't use often just because there is no room.  Since it would literally be the only thing I would can, I think it would be overkill for me.  And it is just me - so it wouldn't be like someone else might take up canning if I got all the supplies.  

 

It is a good idea, though.  If I had more room, I might look into canning more.

[ChocoMom]

I'm so glad this thread exists!!!   I was contemplating what to do with the overabundant supply of soup bones we've got here.  Butchering 2 cows this fall gave us WAYYYY more soup bones than needed.  And, having fallen absolutely in love with my pressure canner, me thinks that is the way to go in dealing with the stock from all the soup bones. 

 

The meat that comes off the bones will get diced up into some beef-barley soup and beef-veggie soup, then pressure canned. But, there is usually so much broth left.  

Might anyone happen to know how long to pressure can broth?  Quart jars---maybe 20 min at 10#?      

 

Thank you all for posting about this.  

 

 

[chromedome]

In part because of this discussion, my first use of the pressure canner I inherited was for putting up some stock (we're critically low on freezer space).