Hey, good work! I've been making stock for years now. One thing I find that really speeds things up is a pressure cooker. I used to boil for 3 or 4 hours but now get the same job done in about 30 to 45 minutes in a pressure cooker. You just gotta be careful not to go too long with chicken as it can liquify the bones :-) When I'm done I also pressure-can it in mason jars instead of freezing it, since we've got limited freezer space. It stores well on the shelf for at least 3 years that I've had it.
I also don't separate the fat until it's time to use the stock, because for some things you can actually use the fat (e.g. making gravy). After canning it is right on top of the jar (of course), so when you open the jar you can decide whether or not you are going to use the fat. If not, just spoon it out and discard.
Using a jar of stock is a quick way to make a yummy meal. On saturday I made an awesome Deer and Noodle soup and posted the recipe to my blog
We make a fair bit of stock here. Our secret weapon is the freezer. If you have enough freezer space (chest freezer rock for this), simply set aside the bones whenever you buy bone-in meats (or vegetable scraps if you want to do a veggie stock) until you have enough for to make stock.
Our favorite trick is to make a tasty roast chicken (CI has some great brine-related recipes, I believe) on a Saturday night, and then use the carcass to make a stock on Sunday, yielding soup for the balance of the week.
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I also don't separate the fat until it's time to use the stock, because for some things you can actually use the fat (e.g. making gravy). After canning it is right on top of the jar (of course), so when you open the jar you can decide whether or not you are going to use the fat. If not, just spoon it out and discard.
Using a jar of stock is a quick way to make a yummy meal. On saturday I made an awesome Deer and Noodle soup and posted the recipe to my blog
http://www.bodensatz.com/article.php?story=2006...
Home made soup in minutes!
Our favorite trick is to make a tasty roast chicken (CI has some great brine-related recipes, I believe) on a Saturday night, and then use the carcass to make a stock on Sunday, yielding soup for the balance of the week.