I was going to make Samin Nostrat's chicken and garlic soup. When I make stock, I usually poach a whole chicken and then take the meat off after an hour into it. Is there a reason this chicken soup recipe and most recipes want you to cut up the chicken or could I just start with a whole chicken and take the meat off? I guess I probably need to go ahead and get comfortable cutting up a chicken, but I wondered how much it matters.
the only reason to cut it up is so fits in the pot.
frankly I never use a fresh whole chicken for stock. it's been roasted or stewed, meat stripped, then I use the carcass for stock.
cutting up a chicken is easy - many videos available to demo the technique - sharp knife highly recommended...
Some combination of fitting in the pot and safer/easier to take out to remove the meat (whole chicken + boiling liquid = very hot splashing).
Plus, not everyone may be comfortable cooking a whole chicken anymore, or it may work out more expensive than buying (meaty) parts - that’s the case near me
If you’re used to poaching a whole chicken already, no need to cut it up.
I think the reason behind cutting up a whole chicken to make stock is to expose more of the flesh and bones to heat and moisture, therefore making the stock richer.
I just use the carcass of a roasted chicken, or buy skin on, rib bones attached chicken breasts, and use the bones and skin to make stock.
Often I cook a chicken whole (or parts if convenient), take off the meat, and put the scraps (bones, skin, etc) back in the pot for a second round of cooking (often in pressure cooker mode). So the richness of the stock doesn't depend on how I start the bird.
My 6qt Instant Pot handles a whole 5lb chicken.
Other times I'll break up a whole chicken, save the legs and thighs for later use, debone the breast and save that meat. The rest goes into the pot for stock.
That was always my impression too. Expose more flesh and bone. I generally make stock with a carcass and odds and ends I don't use in other dishes, such as wings.
"I think the reason behind cutting up a whole chicken to make stock is to expose more of the flesh and bones to heat and moisture, therefore making the stock richer. "
Yes, I agree. I always make soup/stock out of leftover poultry carcasses, but I also use those little soup chickens they sell in Spanish groceries, or supermarkets that have a lot of Hispanic customers. They are about 2 and 1/2 pounds apiece, come two to a package, and are usually labeled something like "gallinas para sopa." They are what used to be called stewing hens, but I rarely see them labelled in English.
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