Chicken marrow? Stock? What is it?

Question

I cooked a load of chicken the other night in the oven, there is a type of jelly, or is it bone marrow, left under the thin layer of fat in the cooking tray, WHAT is it??? And how best can I use it?
I am presently on a diet and am looking for tasty non fattening things to eat - so help please.

Answer 1

A+ for mattzcoz! Got it in one.

Yep, yep and yep!

Now that you've let all of those juices cool and fat's hardened on top you can just spoon it off and decard the fat that way. What I do is tip it into a heat proof jug while it's still hot so that the fat hardens in a few large pieces rather than lots of tiny fat droplets

Otherwise if I want to make the gravy to serve with the chicken straight away I'll pour it into a heat proof jug (clear - so you can see the fat layer) and skim the liquid fat layer off with a table spoon or suck it up with a baster. Then I'll just pour it into a pot, heat it to simmering and add some garlic, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Then I mix about two teaspoons of cornflour with a little water, turn the heat down, then slowly whisk it in little by little until I get the right consistency.

Also if you're putting the fat down the sink, flush with HOT water and some detergent at the same time to prevent it solidifying in your drains and blocking up your sink. Alternatively, put it in a plastic bag or yoghurt container and throw it in the bin when it's solidified.

You probably already know this but you also shouldn't eat the skin of the chicken (or off of any animal, including the fat layer under the skin) because that's the visible fat you can avoid.

Happy dieting.

Answer 2

What you've got there in those two parts is the basis of chicken stock or chicken gravy. The fat has separated and floated to the top. The gel layer is a combination of other components such as water, blood, proteins, and an animal protein referred to as gelatin that comes from the connective tissue, bones, and skin. The gelatin is primarily responsible for that layer being like a jelly.

Gelatin itself has little flavor, while that gel layer in total will have a good amount of flavor. The fat layer carries a fair amount of flavor and contributes a smooth, tasty 'mouth-feel' to your stock/gravy. The fat components of any marrow that seeped out of the bones will have floated to the the surface along with the other fats in the chicken.

If you scoop off the fat layer and re-heat what's left, you'll have a lean chicken broth that can used like any other basic stock. You'll have a hard time getting all the fat out, so it should still taste pretty good, but try experimenting a little by leaving some in next time. If you leave it all in, it'll probably be too greasy.

If you had bones in the chicken you cooked, you can boil those up along with any trimming scraps and skin to make more of that stock.

Marrow is found in the long bones of animals and is where blood cells are produced. It contains protein and "good" fats (ones that lower your LDL).

Answer 3

The jelly is the marrow that has seeped out of the bones! Scrape the fat off and keep the jelly in a jar in the fridge! Its great added to the gravy or put into other sauces.

Answer 4

The Marrow is actually the center of the bone. This is the natural gelatin created by cooking the bones. It adds richness to the stock without adding fat.

Answer 5

if you are dieting dont eat that jelly , that aint the stock thats the fat, you get the stock by boiling the bones and leave over meat attached .Just break the carcuss up and boil it for 40 mins then strain thru a sieve an thats the stock . Boil this with a clove of garlic to poduce a very tasty soup

Answer 6

This is gelatinized liquid from the chicken.
Reheat this and pour it and the fat into a jar or other container and refrigerate. then scrape the fat off the top and use as a sauce or a flavoring in a sauce