Adding salt to chicken soup - b4 or after it comes to boil?

pumpkinsbubby

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 12:39 pm

I cook chicken soup all the time. Mostly it is nice and clear, which is how I like it. Sometimes for some reason unbeknownst to me, the soup looks cloudy after a couple of hours of cooking. Might it have to do depending on when I added the salt to the broth? Should it be done in the cold water the same time as when I add the chicken and veggies to the COLD water, or should the salt be added towards the end when the soup is almost done? Also how long would you cook a pot a chicken soup for (6 qt. pot)? 1-2-3-4 hours, I've heard many opinions regarding this.
TIA for your help.

ra_mom

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 2:02 pm

I add salt one it's finished cooking. I like the fresh taste of kosher salt.
But the clouding might be from some of your vegetables.
(If you want really clear, soft golden chicken soup, you need to cook it for a much shorter amount of time.)

wwmom

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 2:25 pm

ra_mom wrote:

How long would you cook it for (8qt. pot)? I always thought the longer you cook it the clearer!

CK2

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 8:22 pm

I believe cloudy soup has to do with the fact that you boiled your soup too much that time. Long slow and low cooking won't affect the clearness.

See these examples:

http://cooking.stackexchange.c.....loudy
http://homecooking.about.com/o.....s.htm

Google brings many examples.

I don't agree with the fact that you can't boil soup but you have to be careful not to over boil.

Raizle

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 8:25 pm

I have two thoughts

when you cook chicken soup near the beginning stage there is all this gunk rising to the top. You need to skim it off or else it mixes into your soup and makes it cloudy/messy looking

second thought is the longer you cook it the more the water evaporates and the soup is denser, more chickeny, more flavor too but you can add some water if you want.

I add salt towards the end

mummiedearest

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 8:30 pm

I add it in the beginning, before the water. I cook it quite a while because I like the carroty flavor to develop. I find if I add the salt at the end, the veggies don't get the full proper flavor. I serve the soup with all its contents, so that's important to me. if you're just serving broth, put it in whenever you want.

sky

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 8:39 pm

I add the salt in the beginning. I like the taste. But maybe I'll try once the salt at the end.

Its interesting about over boiling making it cloudy. I recently had that happen for the first time and I couldn't figure out what it was. I cook my chicken soup normally over 8 hours so I don't think it has to do with cooking it too long.

Also in one of the articles linked above they mention not using frozen chicken. Is it a problem to just drop a frozen chicken piece in the pot right before cooking, I do that every week, and never thought it was a problem.

CK2

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 9:34 pm

sky- I think they were referring to the frozen chicken not tasting as good. The chicken not the soup.
raizle- the cloudiness is not the pieces that weren't skimmed off. Those pieces make a messy soup but the cloudiness is like a soup (both) itself thats not clear

ra_mom

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 10:24 pm

wwmom wrote:

ra_mom wrote:

How long would you cook it for (8qt. pot)? I always thought the longer you cook it the clearer!

I cook the chicken / bones and garlic for 1 hour. Then add the vegetables and dill, and cook for 45 more minutes.
Then allow the whole pot to cool for hours.
(It actually takes much longer than 1 hour and 45 minutes, because it takes at least half an hour for the chicken and garlic to come to a boil before I start timing it. And then it takes around another 20 minutes for the soup and veggies to come back to a boil.)

chocolate chips

Thu, Apr 14 2011, 11:05 pm

I cook my soup overnight.
Sounds wierd but tastes sooo good and there is nothing like waking up on a friday morn to the smell of fresh chicken soup.

I add all spices along with the water and veg, cover and leave on extra low all night.

MeadowsLane

Fri, Apr 15 2011, 6:08 am

As I was learning to cook my mother taught me two tricks to keep soups looking clear and I do this with chicken, beef or lamb:

1) Instead of skimming the foam after soup initially comes to boil, I dump all the water out and wash out the chicken. I then add new water, bring chicken to boil again and then simmer -- this way the broth is crystal clear.

2) never let your soup boil too long, especially when reheating - that will definitely cloudy it up. As soon as it starts to boil I turn it down low and simmer.

shanie5

Sat, Apr 16 2011, 11:51 pm

Raizle wrote:

This is what I was told by professional cooks.

zigold

Sun, Apr 17 2011, 5:35 pm

pumpkinsbubby wrote:

I boil the water and then add the salt and pepper and chicken. I let it boil a little longer and then I add the vegetables and cook it for about 2 hours.. my soup is delicious and clear.

supermommy07

Sun, Apr 17 2011, 6:45 pm

I get tons of compliments on my chicken soup everytime I serve it to guests(since I was a kallah). I have been asked by friends and my sisters husbands to teach their wives how to make soup. My soup is clear,golden and very flavorful.
This is how I make it - I put chicken, chicken bones and a few turkey necks in a mesh bag, into my pot add water, salt and a little pepper. Adding the salt in the begining brings out the flavor of the chicken and later on the vegies. I bring to a boil then let simmer for about 45min-an hr, half way thru I add a few garlic cloves.. I skim the "guck" extra chicken fat off the top. Then I add the vegetables and little more salt... I let it simmer for about 8 hrs. Sometimes I leave it on low overnight if I make it later in the day. let it cool, put it in the fridge and then skim off any fat thats left.

ra_mom

Sun, Apr 17 2011, 10:06 pm

pobody's nerfect wrote:

totally off topic, but where do you buy the mesh bags? I can only find rolls of cheesecloth here but it's a pain to tie....

Lieber's makes Sack 'n Boil bags. There are non heimish companies that make them as well.

strawberries

Sun, Apr 17 2011, 10:15 pm

supermommy07 wrote:

why do u need to put the chicken in a bag?