Chicken Stock Safety

[viaChgo]

I've got some chicken stock in my freezer that i found buried under some other stuff that was from February. Normally, it would have been used up if it wasn't hiding. How long does is keep in the freezer? I would think it's fine, but I always read/hear that it should be used within 3 months or so.

[melkor]

Defrost it and see if it's picked up any odd smells from the freezer, if it didn't - I'd use it.

[Shalmanese]

It's highly unlikely that theres going to be any health risks from frozen chicken stock. The only thing worth worrying about is the taste. My guess is that it should be fine. I've had stock in for longer but in reasonably well sealed containers.

[scott123]

As previously mentioned, it should be safe to eat but may be compromised from a flavor perspective. Freezer burn is a good sign of deteriorated flavor. If I have stock that's been in the freezer for quite some time and/or showing some freezer burn, I'll take the frozen chunk and wash it under luke warm water, taking off the outer 1/8" or so. What's left after the rinse is just as wonderful as the day I froze it.

[fifi]

I have actually found stock lost for two years or more and rinsed off any dehydrated top layer and it was just fine.

[Mottmott]

As previously mentioned, it should be safe to eat but may be compromised from a flavor perspective. Freezer burn is a good sign of deteriorated flavor. If I have stock that's been in the freezer for quite some time and/or showing some freezer burn, I'll take the frozen chunk and wash it under luke warm water, taking off the outer 1/8" or so. What's left after the rinse is just as wonderful as the day I froze it.

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I've given up using plastic containers in favor of ziplocks. This has cut waaay back on freezer burn and all but eliminates contact with air. I find this way I can do it in 1,2,4, etc. cups quantity. It allows me to break off a few Tbs worth of stock if needed (whack it against the edge of the counter and it breaks inside the pastic into smaller bits) or to defrost larger amounts very quickly by immersing in warm water.

I freeze them very flat on sheet pans, then when frozen I collect them in larger baggies so they don't get lost so easily (chicken collected in one, beef in another, etc). They stack horizontally or upright much like file folders. It works really well for me.

edited for typos

Edited September 9, 2004 by Mottmott (log)

[jfilmm]

I have some chicken stock in my freezer and have been thinking about defrosting it, making a double stock, then re-freezing it. It it okay to freeze chicken stock twice?

[Carolyn Tillie]

Sure - just make sure it has come to a roiling boil for at three minutes. Technically, a stock could last indefinitely if brought to a boil ever few days.

[Waterzoy]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by double stock......is this the same as demi glace where you reduce the stock to a more concentrated form? It's not generally a good idea to re-freeze anything but if you have to do this I'd make sure it was brought back up to the boil before a second round of freezing.

[jfilmm]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by double stock......is this the same as demi glace where you reduce the stock to a more concentrated form? It's not generally a good idea to re-freeze anything but if you have to do this I'd make sure it was brought back up to the boil before a second round of freezing.

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I mean doubling the stock by adding chicken and veggies to this stock, rather than water, to concentrate its flavor.

[jfilmm]

Sure - just make sure it has come to a roiling boil for at three minutes. Technically, a stock could last indefinitely if brought to a boil ever few days.

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What does boiling do? Does it reset the decomposition process or something? (Pardon my ignorance)

[Waterzoy]

I can't give you a particularly technical answer but boiling would kill most or all of the bacteria that might come to life during or after the initial thawing process.

Edited December 1, 2006 by Rachellindsay (log)

[Forest]

in answer the boiling question, it will kill the germs before you refreeze it. The only problem you might have with that, is it's nice to simmer rather than boil stock. (although i remember reading somewhere recently that you don't have to actually bring something to a full boil to make it hot enough to kill the little bad things - that's something you'd probably want to doublecheck)

To concentrate the flavor, you could always just boil it down so it's more concentrated and make a new batch of stock with your other chicken. (of course you would have less stock then) I'm sure there's an entire stock thread on here somewhere, which probably has lots of info.

happy stock-making!

[Carolyn Tillie]

For Thanksgiving, I made a generic stock with venison, quail, pheasant, duck, and squab bones and simmered for 24 hours. It gave me about 12 quarts of good stock. After a good straining, I sauteed up another round of mirepoix and simmered for an additional 12 hours and ended up with about 8 quarts of concentrated stock. I then consommed those 8 quarts and ended up with a little over half-a-gallon of intensely rich, concentrated game consomme. Stunning...

So, to Forest, just boiling it down doesn't necessarily make the flavor more concetrated, while re-simmering with additional mirepoix seems to help.

[Forest]

Good point! Thanks for the info. I've been making a lot of stock lately and your Thanksgiving one sounds great!

[paulraphael]

To concentrate the flavor, you could always just boil it down so it's more concentrated and make a new batch of stock with your other chicken.  (of  course you would have less stock then)

A double stock will give you the same amount of stock from your ingredients as a big reduction will, but it will usually taste better. It won't suffer from the flatness that you can get from extended boiling/reduction.

[scott123]

Sure - just make sure it has come to a roiling boil for at three minutes. Technically, a stock could last indefinitely if brought to a boil ever few days.

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Re-boiling stock to prevent spoilage has been proven as a myth. I believe it was Wolke that disproved it. There are particular bacteria that can survive the boiling process. Make the stock, cool it quickly, refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze.

[JohnRov]

I made chicken stock. I used some but needed to get containers to freeze and then stuff came up and I went out of town, etc. Anyway, it's been refrigerated for about a week and a half, is it bad or can I still freeze it and use it?

[weinoo]

I made chicken stock.  I used some but needed to get containers to freeze and then stuff came up and I went out of town, etc.  Anyway, it's been refrigerated for about a week and a half, is it bad or can I still freeze it and use it?

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Whew, I'd be getting rid of that. Usually, if I'm keeping stock in the fridge, I'll boil it every two days or so - then it may last for a week or more.

When in doubt, throw it out.

[Chris Hennes]

I suspect that after a week and a half it doesn't even pass the "smell test" -- throw it out. No sense risking getting ill over a few dollars' worth of chicken stock.

[OliverN]

I suspect that after a week and a half it doesn't even pass the "smell test" -- throw it out. No sense risking getting ill over a few dollars' worth of chicken stock.

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Yeah, Chicken Stock is remarkably similar in consistency and nutirtional content as the media we use to grow bacteria in the lab.

It's just not worth it

[JohnRov]

I dumped it last night. It really didn't smell bad, but it didn't have that nice clean chicken-y smell anymore either.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Usually, if I'm keeping stock in the fridge, I'll boil it every two days or so - then it may last for a week or more. 

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Actually, if you re-boil your stock every three days, it will last indefinitely. *Something* I learned from cooking school... Not that anyone would have stock around that long, but it is a good thing to know. Boiling will kill the nasty bugs and there is no reason you would have to dump it, even after a week or more!

Many larger commercial kitchens will simply keep their stores of stock continually replenished; making new stock and adding it (and re-boiling it) to older stock.

[Qwerty]

I don't know if that's good advice....boiling will surely kill the bacteria, but won't do anything to the toxins they may leave behind. I wouldn't go around preaching that type of behavior...

[Feedbag]

Does this also apply to the commercialized, tetra-packed stock, say, like Campbell's produces? I've had some left over in the fridge for about a week (still in its pack, but opened nevertheless). Wouldn't there be a whack load of chemicals in there to keep it fresher longer?