Chicken Juice-What Is It??

[ayabrea38]

Cooked a chicken yesterday (hate turkey) and saved all the juice that comes out of the chicken when cooking.This has now cooled to a jelly like substance and the fat is on the top.What is this stuff and more importantly what can I do with it?
Sorry to sound so ignorant but I have never really thought about this before and have just thrown it away-seems a waste of something that may be useful.

Thanks for any help
Aya B

[shoota]

That is really good stock and it makes an excellent base for soup or gravy. Just skim of the fat with a spoon (throw that away) and save the clear stock in the fridge.
If you put the chicken carcase in a big pan with an onion, stick of celery and a little salt and pepper, cover with water and boil for 2 hours you'll get a load more.

[Buenchico]

So who's not making proper gravy for the roast chicken then (using the 'jus' from the chicken)?

See Step 8 here:
http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/7590/roast-chicken-with-herb-stuffing.aspx

[ayabrea38]

So is that stuff more stock?
How would I then go about making a soup?
You sound like you know what you are talking about shoota so could you please help

Much thanks
Aya B

[ayabrea38]

Eek!!

Proper gravy-I thought the stuff that came out of a tube that you add water to WAS proper gravy LOL

I will try it one day when I am feeling very brave

Thanks Buenchico

Aya B

[hellywelly4]

When I was young (go back 50+ years) I used to love Turkey dripping. The juice of the turkey cooled to a jelly and was delicious. I haven't managed to get any in recent years probably because the turkeys aren't as fatty these days.

If you boil the chicken carcase and the juice you have got for a couple of hours, then get all the bits of meat off the bones, you will have a delicious chicken soup (add veg).

[shoota]

When you've boiled your bones for 2 hours, pass the mess through a colander and throw the bones and veg away, leave the 'juice' to cool and again skim any fat off.
Mix the two lots of stock together and add water until you have about 2 pints.
Get a pound of peeled and chopped potatoes, a medium onion, and a pound and a half of leeks cut into 1" rings.
Sweat the onion in butter until it is soft, add the leeks and potatoes and sweat them for a few minutes, add a serving spoon of plain flour to absorb the butter and then put in the stock with some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 mins until the pots are really soft.
Blitz into a creamy liquid and add a little milk or cream if it is too thick and enjoy Leek and Potato soup when hot and Vichysoisse when cold.
Simples.

[Bert]

The easiest way to get the fat off is to cool the mixture of fat and stock (or 'jus') before putting it in the fridge for a while. The fat will solidify, and can then be removed very easily in one or two pieces.

[Donquixote]

The jellied substance in the bottom of your roasting pan isn't stock, it's jus - basically, the concentrated juices that are released as the proteins in the flesh are broken down. A stock is made by adding water to the carcass/flesh, along with stock vegetables, and simmering for an hour or so. If you were to make a stock, strain it, and then boil it rapidly until it has reduced by two-thirds, you would end up with a concentrated stock that jellifies when cool. This is called a demi-glace, and is pretty much the same thing that you found in the bottom of your roasting tray. Just store it in your refrigerator in an airtight container and use it in place of a stock cube; the flavour will be ten times better. You can use it in soups, stews, sauces, risottos, basically anywhere that you'd normalls use stock.

[lady-janine]

as an extra you can freeze this chicken/turkey/duck/[pheasant juice and then use it when you need to make gravy or soup. i also render down the bones from lamb, pork and beef. fat needs to be taken off in each case. all can be used as basis for gravy or soup or casseroles. when cool place in self-sealing bags and pop into freezer. remember to label where the juice came from.

[pastafreak]

That jelly/jus is wonderful stuff. I'll happily eat it with a spoon. I use it sometimes to fry or saute-it adds extra flavour to whatever you are cooking.