Saving for stock
I was looking through an old copy of Cooking with Claudine by Jacques Pepin, and I realized a common thread between TV chefs that I really like. They are more likely to say "save that for stock" than "throw it away". They hate to waste good food.
Some of the other "save it for stock" cooks that I liked were Graham Kerr, Julia Child and Merle Ellis. Alton Brown mentions it sometimes, but his show is so scripted that you are never sure if he means it. There are other shows that I enjoy, but I just don't have the same respect for the cooks. The food is okay, but there just isn't the same passion about the food.
Has anyone else noticed this correlation?
I have far more bacon drippings than I could ever use, especially since Laurie doesn't do pork, so I don't save it. If I need bacon drippings for something, I just make some bacon at the time.
Normally I don't save the schmaltz when I make turkey or chicken stock, but I have a few recipes I want to try. I wonder how much of the smoky flavor remains in the fat? I guess there's one way to find out.
There was just a post in one of the livejournal cooking groups of a white chili recipe talking about how wonderful it was to make it with leftover turkey. The recipe even sounded pretty good until they added instant chicken bullion. I just don't understand people's aversion to making good old fashioned stock. And bird stock is the easiest of the bunch, you don't have to crack any bones, or even toss anything under the broiler. Just toss the carcass into a pot of water with some veggies and herbs and simmer for a day.
I had not noticed it before, but now that you mention it, I do see it. I was also taught that way by my grandmother. If you are not making stock right now, all the bits of vegetable and bone go into the freezer for later. Pork, duck, and goose fat also get rendered down for later use.