Make your own defatted chicken broth for the basis of many recipes.
Chicken broth, or chicken stock, is the basis for hundreds of different recipes, from soups and stews to vegetable medleys. Homemade chicken broth is often considered better tasting than commercial broth from a can or box, but commercial broths are often lower in fat. This makes them a good choice for those watching their fat intake. You can have the best of both worlds by making your own recipe for chicken broth, then using a method used by experienced cooks to remove the fat. One method is quicker, but leaves a bit of the fat. The other, while slower, removes almost all of the fat. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Quicker Method
1. Pour your chicken broth through a strainer into a glass measuring cup. If you don't have a large enough cup, do this procedure in batches. Fill the cup so that you have about 1 inch of room at the top below the rim.
2. Set the measuring cup on a counter where it won't be bumped or moved. Watch the broth as it settles. The chicken broth liquid will sink to the bottom, while the liquefied chicken fat will rise to the top and float.
3. Squeeze the bulb of the turkey baster, then lower the tip of the baster into the top layer in the measuring cup. Relax your grip on the bulb to allow the baster to suck the liquid fat into the tube. Squirt the fat into your sink or other disposal area.
4. Continue removing the fat from the measuring cup until you can barely see any floating on top of the broth. Pour the remaining broth into a storage container and either refrigerate or freeze it.
Slower Method
5. Strain your chicken broth into a large pot or covered storage container. Place the lid on your container and put it into a refrigerator where it won't be bumped or moved. Allow the broth to stay in the refrigerator at least overnight.
6. Remove the pot from the refrigerator and set it on the counter. Remove the lid. You will see the chicken fat, which has solidified into a solid sheet of white, floating on top of the broth.
7. Use a slotted spoon to remove the solid chicken fat from the surface of the broth. Discard the fat or save it for other recipe uses. Keep skimming the broth until you remove all of the chunks of fat. Replace the lid and refrigerate or freeze your broth.
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