Can you use the carcass of a brined chicken to make stock?

[NotJuliaChild]

Assume some meat is left on the carcass.

Will the resulting stock be too salty?

[jenscats5]

I just have to report I made the turkey stock per the Ruhlman method as above & have to report my cats went nuts all night over the smell! LOL The carcasses roasted up perfectly, the broth looked great & was easy to do - glad I did it.

[serah]

I've never done it with a brined chicken carcass, but I know with gammon joints (which are obv. cured), I bung in a pot of water, bring to the boil, then drain the water straight away. and start again to reduce the saltiness/cure. I'd be tempted to do this - stick carcass in a pot of water, bring to the boil, drain and then start making stock.

[sunshine842]

You're adding so much to that carcass (water and vegetables) that you're diluting the salt significantly.

I'm with the "don't add salt until it's cooked, then taste and adjust as necessary" camp.

[smtucker]

Absolutely! I use Ruhlman's method to make my carcass stock, and it is not only easy, but totally delicious.
http://ruhlman.com/2009/11/turkey-sto...

[jenscats5]

Ooh! I have 3 turkey carcasses...this will be perfect for me!

[greygarious]

My frugal nature requires that I make stock whenever I have a turkey carcass, but after a few pots of turkey noodle and turkey vegetable soup, I realized that I much prefer chicken stock (probably because it has more fat and collagen). I started using half unsalted turkey stock and half beef stock (from beef base like Minor's or Better than Bouillon) when making French onion soup. It is terrific for that. If you haven't had turkey soup before, taste your stock and think about it a while before committing yourself to a big pot, to make sure you will like it.

[jenscats5]

I definitely won't be making soup out of it (not much of a soup person)....so I'll be using it for various other things. But cutting it is a good idea depending on how strong it comes out.

Got it in the oven as we speak!

[chef chicklet]

My turkey stock is on day 2 simmering still. I'm sure that his recipe is good, unfortunately I had already started my carcass stock and just saw this. For mine I added 1 celery stalk, 1/2 of a large onion. The carcass has plenty of seasoning itself. My upstairs smell like there's another turkey roasting in the oven. Whichever recipe one uses, tureky stock done 2 days is really very good. I'm looking forward to pot pie and some hearty soups.

[greygarious]

No problem. Just don't add salt until your stock is finished, reduced to desired strength, and tasted. Some people say you can't stuff a brined bird or make gravy from drippings because of the salt. I am here to tell you that I use very little salt in anything, but have had no objections to either when made with brined poultry.

[Bryan Pepperseed]

Let me guess - you probably rinse your brined bird before cooking??
It could be me, but I think a lot of people have issues with stuffing and gravy from brined birds because they don't rinse when removing from the brine.

[greygarious]

I certainly rinse brined chickens/capons, but have also had pre-basted turkeys, which have been injected with salt so rinsing isn't going to remove THAT. It's been a few years since I brined a turkey myself and I can't remember if I rinsed but perhaps not, because it was a big bird. Of course I don't brine a pre-basted or a kosher bird. I am more inclined to think that people who object to stuffing or gravy from brined poultry have eaten tham made by cooks who added more salt in preparing them.

I bought rotisserie chickens a few times and made stock with their carcasses. Stopped buying them because the meat is just too salty for me.

[Bryan Pepperseed]

Good points... I'll have to re-think my theory.

[monku]

If you were going to eat the brined chicken how could it be too salty to make stock. I do it all the tome with those Costco rotisserie chickens-they're brined or injected.