Don’t be alarmed.
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You might be boiling chicken forchicken salador a comforting casserole and you notice foam.
It congregates around the edges of the pot and is somewhere between white and gray in color.
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Maybe the foam doesnt bother you, or perhaps youre the person who diligently skims it off.
While it’s safe to consume, maybe youve wondered why it’s there in the first place.
Let us explain that mysterious frothy layer that appears when you boil chicken.
What Is the Foam?
There is no appetizing way to say this, but that foam is made of coagulated chicken proteins.
“It is known as scum, not the most pleasant name.
Should You Skim It Off?
In stocks, where the cooking liquid will be retained, you want to consider removing it.
“It is in no way harmful at all.
It is a food protein.
However, it is undesirable due to its appearance, its texture, and its taste.
This causes the stock to appear cloudy.
Should You Boil Chicken and Other Meat for Stocks Separately?
It’s more work, but avoids having to deal with lots of foam and skimming.
“This is the classical way to make stocks and/or boil meats forsoups or stews.
Personally, I tend not to do this to get to save time.
If you want clear stocks for soups, you’ll have to work for it either way.
To make things easier he has a few helpful tips.
Cooking the stock on a lower heat will help minimize the amount of scum that forms.
Use egg whites
A classic chef tip for clarifying stock (i.e.
removing the foam) is to use egg whites.
Traynor suggests to first strain and cool the stock.
Then whip up two egg whites per gallon of stock in a pot and add the cooled stock.
Heat and gently stir until the egg whites coagulate and rise to the top.
