How to strain soup

preciousmommy

Sun, Aug 13 2023, 9:28 pm

My last batch of chicken soup had tons of pieces in it. I’m not sure where I went wrong. I boiled the soup with chicken bones, which were in a sack n’ boil bag. Then I turned down the flame and simmered for a few hours. Once the soup was golden I removed the bones and added vegetables (also in bags).

This has worked well before but not last week. Why did I end up with so many little chicken pieces? And if I do want to strain my soup, how do I do it? If I need a particular gadget I’d love an amazon link. Thanks!

ra_mom

Sun, Aug 13 2023, 9:54 pm

Get a fine mesh skimmer. Hold it over a container to catch the soup and pour it carefully through.
https://www.amazon.com/TEMCHY-.....ss_tl

preciousmommy

Sun, Aug 13 2023, 10:09 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Get a fine mesh skimmer. Hold it over a container to catch the soup and pour it carefully through.
https://www.amazon.com/TEMCHY-.....ss_tl

Thanks! Do I have to pour or can I dip it in to remove the pieces?

Any input on how to prevent this issue in the first place?

ra_mom

Sun, Aug 13 2023, 10:12 pm

preciousmommy wrote:

Thanks! Do I have to pour or can I dip it in to remove the pieces?

Any input on how to prevent this issue in the first place?

If the pieces are really mixed in, you'll get a clearer broth if your pour it over the skimmer.
Sometimes this issue happens if the soup doesn't ever get to a bubble and stays low without first coming to a bubble.

Balabroomstick

Sun, Aug 13 2023, 10:40 pm

When the soup starts to come to a boil you need to skim all the brownish gunk that foams at the surface. I start with a large spoon then switch to a small handheld sieve to get the remainder. This will give me a clear and golden soup.

preciousmommy

Mon, Aug 14 2023, 12:24 am

Balabroomstick wrote:

I always do this. Not with a sieve though - I should get one. I usually don’t have such an issue but my last pot was really not great.

preciousmommy

Mon, Aug 14 2023, 12:32 am

ladYdI wrote:

I use a sieve but also put my bones into a mesh bag

I put everything in bags 😕 So confused

monkeys

Mon, Aug 14 2023, 12:47 am

After the chicken has boiled for a few hours I discard it and strain the soup with a mesh sieve and wash out the pot from the chicken gunk. Then I put the broth back into the cleaned pot and add the vegetables.

#BestBubby

Mon, Aug 14 2023, 12:50 am

I put chicken first and cook on slow boil.

If you cook on high boil. The brown gunk will break
Into tiny pieces and hard to remove all of it.

If you cook on a slow boil. The gook will be in a few big pieces and easily removed by a serving spoon.

After gook is skimmed, I add the vegetables.

Shoshana Rose

Mon, Aug 14 2023, 1:02 am

I boil the water first. Then add veg. When it boils again, I add the FRESH chicken (in a boil bag). Once it boils, I bring the flame down to a simmer. The result is a clear chicken soup. Very rarely do I need to skim my soup from some gunk.

zaq

Mon, Aug 14 2023, 8:35 am

Nix the skimmer for straining soup. The skimmer is designed not for straining but for skimming the scum off the top while it's cooking. You can't just lay the skimmer across the top of another pot and pour the soup through it. The fine mesh clogs too fast and you have to keep stopping to clean the skimmer off. You also need three hands, one to hold the skimmer in place and two to lift the soup pot, unless you're making a very small quantity of soup. Also, even a large skimmer is too flat to handle much at once without overflowing. You have to pour very very slowly.

What you need is a cone- shaped soup strainer, also called a chinois, if you want to really squeeze the maximum liquid out of the solids. Otherwise, any old big strainer will do. But a strainer, not a colander.