Chicken Soup Failure

[Just-Moxie]

I buy those rotisserie chickens sometimes at the store. We can get 2 meals from the legs and breasts...then, I boil down the carcass for a 3rd meal. It makes delicious broth.

 

[Nyboy]

Moxie I buy them also, much cheaper too. Here a fully cooked chicken $5.99 some time on sale $4.99 raw chicken $8 to$9 . Thistle I cook French to, I place frozen french fries on cookie sheet place in hot oven, if don't burn them cover in ketchup.

 

[Just-Moxie]

Now, home fries baked....cut from fresh whole russet potatoes....are delish!! I have almost stopped using the frozen fries.

 

[Nyboy]

@so lucky 3 hours set on high or low ?

 

[so lucky]

I start out on high, then once it heats up, turn to low. Nyboy, what are you planning to do with the chicken? Soup? casserole? Chicken and vegetables? I bet someone can give you some good pointers. Journey11 had great advice. I always forget to roast the meat/chicken first.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like you used a store bought chicken, not one of ours that we raise. Those baby chicks are 6 to 8 weeks old, extremely tender and pretty tasteless compared to our older chickens. I don't know how many hours you cooked it but I'm not that surprised it had turned to mush and did not have much taste. I've cooked one of mine for about eight hours and the meat was ready to fall off the bone but it was still in serving pieces. It wasn't overcooked but it was close. That was an old, old rooster and I was being cautious. Pullets and cockerels take a lot less time. I cut it into pieces before I cook it and cook wishbone, breasts, drumsticks, and thighs for the table.

When I make broth I normally cook a batch 12 to 14 hours and use parts you wouldn't. A lot of the meat has fallen off the bone and is floating around. It's surprising how much meat a neck can have. The back adds some, especially depending on how well you cut off the wings an legs. Sometimes some met gets left behind on the carcass. I use wings for broth instead of the table too so more good meat there. I just eat the gizzard and heart as I pick the meat as rewards for going through the time and effort to pick the meat out. it is slow and tedious. Feet don't add any meat but they add a lot of gelatin. Got to have those feet! I pick the meat out and use it as cooked meat for sandwiches, casseroles, tacos, salads, SOUP, such as that. I usually miss a few of the small bones, but not many. My wife and I know to be a little careful when we're eating it.

Mine is far from flavorless. Whether I cook the meat for the table or make broth in the crock pot, I add peppercorns, a bay leaf, oregano, basil, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, maybe chives, parsley, or thyme if they are growing in the garden.

When I was reading up on how to make crock pot apple butter (never did try it) there were warnings that different crock pots cook at different temperatures on low. Some cook hot enough to burn the apple butter once it has dried out some. So, yeah, timing for different crock pots could be a bit different.

Granted yours was probably one of those flavorless babies from the store, but you could have taken a wire mesh colander or something like that, lined it with several layers of cheese cloth, and strained that mess through it. Take the fat off the liquid and you have a decent broth you could use instead of water as a base for soup or rice. It won't come close to tasting as good as broth made from one of my older chickens that tastes like chicken (Those old roosters are fabulous, old hens pretty darn good too. Even a reasonably mature cockerel does pretty well and pullets are used but not quite as flavorful) and with all the flavorings I add, but it would not be a total waste.

 

[Nyboy]

Your right was store bought, cooked about 8 hours on low. I assumed adding vegetables and seasoning was after chicken was cooked.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The veggies you cook will be cooked to a mush and probably disintegrate. They are there to add flavor, not to be served with the meal. Chickens love to eat the remains, not bones but the veggies. I've also found that mess makes good bait for raccoons or skunks if they are bothering you. What a delicious smell!

You know how some foods are so much better the second time around, as left-overs? That's because the flavors have had time to blend. Flavoring from the start makes a big difference to me.

 

[Nyboy]

I agree some foods are better second time around, pasta one of them.

 

[catjac1975]

Last night I put a whole chicken in crock pot, covered it with water, set on low and went to bed.When I woke up kitchen smell great, but when i checked pot, chicken had turned to mush. Reminded me of can catfood. Mush had no taste and was filled with bones some tiny. I threw it out, what went wrong ? Chicken over cooked?

You should have strained it and kept the broth.