Just as I would never throw away sauce (see why here), I don’t throw away the liquids that come off cooking meats (particularly chicken) either. Let’s take a look at two BIG reasons you should save that broth (and some money, too)!
Now before you get scared, no I’m not talking about saving the fat off ground beef and the like. There’s frugal, and there’s gross! I’m talking about the savory liquids, minus all that fat. It’s easy to separate them and benefit from the liquid “gold” that’s leftover!
Reason 1: Broth costs money
Do you buy cartons of broth for soup but throw away the liquid from cooking your chicken? Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! Save some money (I pay anywhere from $2.50-$3.00 for a 4-cup carton of chicken broth) and use the broth that comes naturally from cooking at home.
If you cook chicken to go in salads or casseroles, chances are it makes some lovely broth. When I batch cook chicken (I do that often…see the details here), I always save the broth that just cooks out normally.
Whether you use butter when baking or just want to get the chicken fat out of your broth, it’s easy to do. Simply strain the broth from the pot where you cooked the chicken into a large measuring cup (mine is 6 cups), cover and refrigerate overnight. Next morning, you can skim the solid fat right off the top and discard.
I use that big measuring cup so I can then see how much actual broth I have left (sorry those measurements just don’t show up in the pic). I pour it into a freezer bag and mark the outside with the amount. Freeze flat, then you can stand the bag in the freezer to take up less room.
Reason 2: From broth to gravy
If you like sauces, gravy is your friend, too! And it’s so easy to make that goodcheapeats.com reduced it to a formula (see that here). Since I find regular grains like wheat and corn (and thus flour and cornstarch) cause me problems, I use tapioca starch or arrowroot flour as my thickener (yes, flour of any type gets all over everything).
All flours can cook into lumps quickly, so it’s helpful to whisk 1 or 2 Tbsp into some of the liquid (or even water) until fully incorporated BEFORE pouring this mixture into your broth. This should keep the lumps away.
If you’re following the gravy formula and want some fat in there, you may be able to go straight from broth to gravy without skimming the fat. That’s up to you and how much fat there is in your broth.
Heat your broth and thickener over medium high heat, stirring constantly. As it begins to bubble, the flour slurry (that mixture you made with flour and liquid) will begin to thicken.
Stirring not only keeps things well combined, but it allows you to “feel” as the liquid thickens. Don’t let it go to a full rolling boil as you may find yourself with “pudding” instead of gravy! (another one of those “yes, I did that” things…sigh)
BONUS: plain OR flavored broth to soup, too!
Not only is plain broth great for soup, but I’ve found all kinds of flavored broths are great to make soup as well. My favorites are Mojo Pork “broth” and Pork Carnita “broth.” You don’t even have to season your soup. Just throw in some chopped meat and veggies, and it’ll be the most savory soup you’ve ever enjoyed!
Bottom line…save that broth!
Don’t pour that broth down the sink! Instead, be prepared to save your broth and reap the benefits in your wallet. Whether using as broth, as a gravy or in a soup, you can take that savings to the bank and enjoy more savory goodness at the same time.
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