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RE: Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:28:57 GMT

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I figured I'd over filled, but they actually started leaking BEFORE I froze the bags - brand new freezer bags, too. At least now I have some good input & I can start looking for a canner. A friend blessed me with some canning jars earlier in the year, but I haven't had a chance to use them!

RE: Homemade chicken stock

MrsKK — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:09:45 GMT

It sounds like you overfilled both your freezer bags and the quart jars - most liquids will expand when they freeze, so you need to leave plenty of space.

When I have frozen chicken stock in the past, I used plastic containers of a size that the length and width were smaller than a quart freezer bag. Then I only filled them about an inch and a half deep with stock. Once the stock was frozen, I put it into freezer bags. More steps than I like and I really prefer to have it in jars so it is "instant use" also.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:30:55 GMT

AlabamaBackyarder (11/6/2009)

Then I would take the remainder (after the gallon of cubes) and freeze that in quart batches for soups. (freeze them in ziplock bags laying down flat in the freezer that way they freeze faster AND are very stackable.)

Sorry I didn't know about actually canning it. Best of luck

Alabamabackyarder.

I did this the first time & the bags split (before the stock froze) and I had a major mess. I used glass jars the next time & they broke in the freezer. I'm back to empty yogurt tubs that at least stack 4 deep in the freezer. I was just looking for a more convenient way to store my chicken stock. Everytime I want some it's frozen & I don't like to heat it up before I use it (just being picky I guess)

I should put some in ice cube trays though - for those times I need a tablespoon or two for some quirky recipe!

RE: Homemade chicken stock

AlabamaBackyarder — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:04:18 GMT

I know your probably trying to can the stock because you have more pantry then freezer space but I would go with the idea I saw on Good Eats one time. Take about a gallon or two of your stock and pour it into ice cube trays and then once those are frozen then you can put those in ziplock bags in the freezer. That way if you are making a sauce then you can just take a couple of cubes out and throw them into the pan.

Sorry I didn't know about actually canning it. Best of luck

Alabamabackyarder.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:29:10 GMT

Ok, Karen,

I had heard that tomatoes couldn't be water bathed!! It's time to invest in the Ball Blue Book of Canning! Especially since I can't even remember who and where my unreliable information came from.

BPA is the chemical in plastic that made the news last year when the baby bottle makers took it out of the plastic making process because of consumer outcry. I remember hearing about it because the whole thing got me wondering about using so much plastic in my kitchen - one desire to can my chicken stock rather than use plastic.

I appreciate the information - especially about using a canner on my stovetop! Like I said I'm going to invest in a reliable canning book, so I have the information at my fingertips.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Wichman — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:10:05 GMT

hey Hobby Farms!
I smell an article.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Wichman — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:06:12 GMT

BPA article:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/is-there-bpa-in-your-home-canning.php

RE: Homemade chicken stock

MrsKK — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:27:10 GMT

What is BPA?

With stewed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, you don't need to use a pressure cooker to can them, as they have high enough acidity to water bath process them. I always add a tablespoon of lemon juice or a half teaspoon of citric acid to each quart to boost the acidity, though, as some tomatoes now are less acidic than they used to be. Just to be on the safe side.

It doesn't affect the flavor. I once used vinegar, though, as I had run out of lemon juice, and it didn't taste very good at all.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:43:24 GMT

I have a weak burner I think is from over use. I just always use the front right burner! I'm going to have to check into getting a canner. I'd love to can my own stewed & diced tomatoes - especially since they had on the news last night about BPA in canned food. Sheesh!

RE: Homemade chicken stock

MrsKK — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:26:34 GMT

The only marring I've had to the top of my stoves is from when I boiled over some maple syrup that I was cooking down (wasted that batch - drat!). It was so hot that it made a couple of pits in the surface.

We had to replace our first ceramic top stove when one of the elements went bad after a stove top fire, so I'm on my second one. I have the big canning kettles that hold 7 quart jars, too, so no issues there.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:02:27 GMT

MrsKK (11/3/2009)

Why "can't" you use a pressure cooker on your ceramic stovetop? I have had a ceramic top stove for 12 years and have been canning with both a pressure cooker and a water bath canner for all that time, with great success.

Are you serious!!!!????

I can't remember now where I heard it, but I was told that the canner will scratch the top, or something to do with electric stoves & not being able to regulate the heat like with gas. Of course, it's also possible that I was out to lunch the day I heard it & didn't hear/read right & I've been fooling myself all of this time.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

MrsKK — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:48:12 GMT

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Wichman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:04:49 GMT

Here's some more info:

The temperature at which water boils decreases with a rise in altitude. The temp drops .9F for every 500 ft of rise. Where I live, 4500 ft, water boils at 204 degrees. This is why water bath canning times are adjusted , and why a pressure cooker's pressure is adjusted for altitude.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:48:38 GMT

Thank you so much! I'll stick to freezing things.

RE: Homemade chicken stock

Wichman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:58:51 GMT

Low acid foods (chicken stock is low acid) MUST be processed by pressure canning.
Water bath canning can only heat the food to 212 degrees, spores of the dangerous organisms only die if heated to 240 degrees. So, waterbath canning cannot get the food hot enough.
Freeze away.

Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:38:35 GMT

I made a big pot of chicken stock over the weekend & would like to can it. I googled for info & can't find anything for water bath canning. Is it okay? If not, why not? I don't have a pressure canner & couldn't use one if I did since I have a ceramic top stove.

If I can't can it, I'll freeze the broth, but then it's always frozen when I realize I need it! Thanks!