Wow....do I disagree about making stock!
Long cooking simmers a certain "something" out of the bones that adds depth of flavor and richness to the broth.
I agree about long cooking of a lot of meats...past done to mush or tough strings, but broth is different.
Perhaps the difference you noticed was from the roasted chicken rather than a boiled one?
Linda C

What I have always heard about pressure cooking is that the steam under pressure cooks the meat, but doesn't overcook it. And the pressure imitates long cooking which melds the flavors.

Since I don't want to lose the meat of a whole chicken or chicken pieces by long pressure cooking I think I will try an experiment next time I need some cooked chicken:

I will cook some chicken pieces in the PC to use in a casserole, do a quick release of pressure, take out the chicken, let it cool, then pick the meat off the bones. Then I will return the bones to the PC with the first broth still in there and pressure cook the bones a second time with some water added if needed and do a natural release of the pressure.

I make stock both ways. I find long simmering makes a rich, smooth stock, but using the PC makes a very good product as well. If appearance matters, PC stock seems cloudier (which would make sense: proteins denature at the higher temps). I've never done a taste test to compare them side by side.

My standard stock is simmered for several hours, but I'll often make a little batch of stock in the pc from a leftover carcass. It's fine for dishes where appearance doesn't matter: braising meats, making risotto, etc.

Well...since I usually use a roasted bird (or at the very least brown it first for added flavor), I don't think that was the difference. And since I threw the bones in with the skin and the vegs, I believe I got everything they had to give up for the broth, since it gelled for me overnight in the fridge, along with having a dark, rich color.

Probably the major difference (for me) was the amount of time I was able to get such great results in. I also noticed the vegetables tasted fresher...with a brighter flavor to me than a long simmered stock, which was a difference I thought worth mentioning.

That's an interesting observation arley, that stock from the pressure cooker seems more cloudy. Mine wasn't, but then I didn't cook the chicken in there, only the skin/bones from a pre-cooked bird. The real difference to me was less about the protein, and more about the veggies.

It would be interesting to keep a little from the PC, and taste test it side by side.

There are so many variables aren't there? Isn't it interesting to see the differences?

I'll never forget one of the first times I made stock, I took the stock out of the fridge the next day and it was all gel! I thought it was bad so I threw the whole container out.

Oye! If I only knew then what I know now. Gosh!

In answer to your post though, I've made chicken soup for hours and made it using the PC. I prefer the PC. The broth tastes lighter? Not so fatty? Can't explain it.

Promise you won't laugh? OK you can laugh a LITTLE!

When I make dog food with bone in chicken pieces I cook it in the PC for 90 minutes which makes the bones soft enough to mash with a wooden spoon (but I use a stick blender). I make it as a stock, but no onions for the dog, and no salt. I take out a quart, I probably start out with about five cups of water and four or five pounds of chicken pieces. I strain my quart of broth, which by the way has always been clear, defat it and freeze it and then finish the dog food in my usual way with whole grains and veggies. I love the bonus of chicken stock. I have also made dog food a few times with just boneless chicken breasts cooked in the PC for a much shorter time and still get good clear stock. But usually when I use the breasts I add all the veggies, (and you would not want strong flavored veggies like broccoli, or cabbage in the stock) because it can be cooked so quickly (where I would not cook the veggies, except the flavoring ones) in the PC for 90 minutes with the bone in chicken.

I have only made stock as a plus product of dog food, but I will try roasting the chicken pieces first the next time.

Lee

I like stock made in the PC just fine and it not only cuts the time, but the cost of cooking on the stove dramatically. I don't like to make casseroles with chicken that has been boiled/pc'd because it waterlogs it. I roast chicken breasts for casseroles.

Oh! I love that story Shaun! Thanks for the grin.

Lee, I'm intrigued about your post re: chicken bones in the pressure cooker. It's funny you won't give onions to your dog, since I think everything tastes better with them! (I'm sure your dog is just fine however with you leaving them out.) I think you'll love using the roasted chicken, but if you don't have time to roast it, try browning it first. The flavor is amazing, the broth turns much darker/richer. I may have to try your dog food method, as I love to experiment.

Onions are a no-no for dogs - can make them sick. A little garlic is o.k. though.

Also, those rotisserie chickens Costco sells are really delicious and after we eat it, I like to make stock from the carcass, bones and skin. That makes a really nice stock.

Beverly, I agree with you about boiled chicken. It's also kind of anemic in flavor, and not my favorite way of cooking chicken.

Teresa, I didn't know that about onions for dogs. I know that onions can affect some people, until they're cooked. Can dogs have cooked onions?

I don't typically buy the rotisserie chickens, but may have to try that as well. It seems like a great short-cut I should probably take advantage of.

Linda LindaC, I like the long simmered stock better, although I certainly wouldn't turn down some from the pressure cooker either!

I say, which ever works for you is good. I think I mostly like the excuse to just stay home all day, doing nothing but cooking because "I'm making stock". LOL with the pressure cooker, I'm done too quickly and then someone feels free to ask me to do something else.

Annie

My only question is......in simmering stock you are instructed to skim off
that colored foam repeatedly in the first half hour.
How do you do that when using a pressure cooker?

P.S. Love the idea of making dog food, marrow and bones are probably very good for dogs but regular cooked bones splinter, hence the danger. Great idea.

Clair, no cooked onions either. No onions, period. Just like no chocolate, period.

I wonder if that explains why the organic chicken stock in the carton from Trader Joe's is so scarily cloudy and thick.
I opened it last night and thought, what is this stuff?

Since I am usaully short on time, I am going to try the next batch fo chicken stock in teh PC. I would thinkthe pressure releases the collagen from the bones to make a gel stock. (Shaun, cute story, sorry for laughing)

Onions for dogs is a no, as a steady diet of it can possibly cause liver failure. Some dogs are more sensitive to it then others.

CC, the stuff from TJ's is nasty IMHO. I think tap water has more flavor.

I learned two things from this thread: pressure cooking for stock and using the bones from the store-bought roasted chicken for stock. Who knew?

I've been wanting to try this since this thread was posted and last night we had a costco chicken for dinner and I saved the bones and PCed them for 15 minutes.

What a beautiful golden stock. I put it in the fridge and this morning just had a peek and it looks great. I'm looking forward to cooking with it next time I need stock. Thanks for the great ideas.

Love this forum!

May, you made my day! Happy Thanksgving!

Yup yup!! Gotta love that Costco Chicken!

I've been using my pressure cooker to make stock now for over a year.

It's a LOT better than the long-term boiling on the stove.

I normally let mine cook for about 45 minutes.

I stumbled on this thread looking for recommended time to pressure my duck stock and want to thank you all for your lovely insights. I usually make poultry stock by the five hour barely simmering method and get very clear, highly gelatinous stocks. I've not tried PC because I knew boiling stock makes it cloudy. Well, heck. I didn't need this duck stock to be clear so now was the time to experiment with my new PC. I see that some folks have gotten cloudy stock and some clear. Mine is rather cloudy and I notice the fat layer on top seems to be rather scummy. I think next try I'll bring the pot to a simmer and go through the skimming exercise before adding the veges and bringing up the pressure. I further wonder if keeping the temp as low as possible while maintaining pressure would help.

I hope this is relevant. Attempting to make Beef Stroganoff for dinner, I was looking for simmering vs. pressure cooking time for "stock". Having no beef stock at hand (usually do) and no consume in the store, I tried a beef stock recipe to prepare for the rue instead of some canned, high salt "soup". I don't have the results yet but think I'd better go check the PC and see if it is ready to strain and chill. "TBC"...