I have been making homemade stock (bone broth) for health purposes (minerals, amino acids, etc).
I have always done chicken so far. So far, most of the stocks have come out great! And most of them "gel".
This batch turned out strange, and I want to make sure it's okay to consume.
I bought a free range, organic roasting chicken, but it was from a different store than usual because I moved. I roasted it, and ate the meat, saving the carcass.
For the stock, I used the carcass (picked mostly clean of the meat but not completely) and all the leftover bones, and the neck, which was in the cavity.
I added the apple cider vinegar and filtered water with the carcass/bones in the beginning as usual, let it sit for an hour, then turned on the heat. I only had about 8 hours to do this one, but better than nothing.
Anyways, it didn't gel, which is fine because I think I used too much water this time. Also, I normally use chicken feet too, and in my new place I can't get them.
Normally, there is no gunk that rises to the surface during the simmering, and I think it because of the quality of the chickens I normally use. This time though, there was a decent amount of greyish gunk that rose.
I wasn't diligent about skimming it, because I normally don't check on the stock while it's cooking because I normally don't get gunk that needs skimming.
So my issue with how this batch turned out is that even after I strained it, there is quite a bit of sediment in it. It sinks to the bottom of the storage container, but if I stir the stock, it swirls all around the stock. It looks like fine sand, like beach sand. But greyish.
The seidment looks very un-appetizing. Is that sediment safe to consume?
Also, the stock itself has more of a greyish tinge than normal. Normally it's a nice rich brown to orange in tone.
Overall it just looks unappetizing. It tastes a little "off", not rich and chickeny. It tastes chickeny in a bad way, kind of like fish can be fishy in a good way or fishy in a bad way.
So should I just throw it out or is this still safe and good for me?
What is up with the sediment? Is that sediment good for me, or bad for me?
I am reluctant to throw out something I spent so much time on, and organic chickens are expensive here, so I am reluctant to throw it out. I would be okay using it to cook rice, just want to make sure it's safe with the greyish color and all the sediment.
I think it turned out different because this chicken was probably not a good source, though it was labelled organic and free range.
Thanks!
Posted by massman (Member # 18116) on :
Does not sound too good to me. Not quite right.
Go with your.....gut Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
I'd pour off the stock to use, and discard the sediment.
Are you adding onion and carrot to the boiling stock? This improves the flavor and adds vitamins.
Carol
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
I would go with your gut instinct. If it tastes bad and looks bad, don't eat it.
I'm not sure what went wrong but I've never had chicken broth turn out gray in color, usually it turns out rich and golden brown.
Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :
I get scum sometimes but normally I get rid of it all because I strain the stock several times (I always add lots of onions and garlic with the skins plus unpeeled organic carrots, celery with the tops, turnips, and chunks of ginger).
Plus since I am adding so many veggies it is hard to say what is causing the scum. Are you putting it through a mesh strainer? Thats the way to go.
Also my stock will seperate a bit after sitting and some leftover stuff will sink to the bottom but I normally consume it.
What concerns me is you say it tastes, looks and smells funny. That would make me toss it.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Thanks! I still haven't decided what to do with it!
elley,
Okay, that is good to know that it is normal to have some leftover stuff in the bottom of the storage container, even after straining it (I do always strain it with a fine mesh).
It's good to know that in the future I can consume that "stuff" if I want.
But I'm thinking you are right, and that because of the taste, I should probably toss it.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)