# Calories per cup of homemade chicken stock?



## D_Blackwell

I'm starting to do some calorie counting, and am having a hard time getting a fix on calories per cup of of homemade chicken stock.  My searching has brought up some very wide ranging results.

My chicken stock recipe is as plain jane as one might expect.  About 1 1/2 gallons water, one 6 pound whole chicken (meat removed and reserved when cooked - bones and parts added back to stock), celery, carrots, onions, bay leaves, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 30 crushed peppercorns.  5 hour simmer.  Finished stock is strained, cooled overnight, defatted next day, then frozen in 2 cup portions.  Target yield is about 1 gallon, but if I'm off  on the simmer the yield can range from a high of 1 1/4 gallons to a low of 3/4 gallon.

What are the best guesstimates on calories per cup for homemade chicken stock?


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## Uncle Bob

D BlackWell

30 to 40 Cal. per cup


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## redkitty

I'm with uncleB, about 25-40 calories per cup.  I checked my calorie counting site and its around 25.


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## Andy M.

IT epends on how much of the fat in the chicken you are able to remove from the stock.  Boiling the stock causes fat to emulsify and disperse into the stock rather than being available to rise to the surface for removal.


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## VeraBlue

Andy M. said:
			
		

> IT epends on how much of the fat in the chicken you are able to remove from the stock.  Boiling the stock causes fat to emulsify and disperse into the stock rather than being available to rise to the surface for removal.



That is a magnificent observation.


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## D_Blackwell

I check it fairly frequently, and try to maintain a low simmer - technically I'd certainly call it boiling, though I'm aiming for a very very low boil, the surface just bubbling a bit, or shimmering on the edge of a light bubbling.  After cooling, there is usually about 1/4" - 3/8" of fat to skim.  Back in the day, it would be twice that thick, but I can't hardly find good stock chickens anymore.  I think the most flavor comes from good old fashioned stew chickens, and of course they have lots more fat also.

How can I guesstimate what amount of fat might be in my stock?  It could make a whopping difference in the calorie count.  It's my understanding that chicken stock, for caloric purposes, is like highly fortified water.  Lots of taste, lots of bulk in the tummy, but extremely low in actual calories. A couple of nice big bowls of stock flavor, and very low in calories - this could be a good tool for me.  However, it wouldn't take much fat rendering into the stock to throw my guesstimate way off.


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## Uncle Bob

D Blackwell...

Is your objective to lose weight?


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## D_Blackwell

In part.  For the purposes of this thread, yes.  I'm 40-something and sort of evolving into achieving a healthier state and have, over the last year, been making changes with eating and exercise.  I've been gradually upgrading the quality of food (ex junk food junkie - for the most part); and also have been adjusting my 'excercise', increasing my walking (which I love - but have to monitor pace, distance, and frequency very carefully due to bad knees), and added a Yoga based stretching routine.

While I have needed to lose weight, that has not been a focus - I've felt that these other areas were more important, and would offer a base to work from later on - which is now.

Due to my joint issues, aerobic exercise is a problem.  I've recently added lap swimming a couple of days a week.  Too soon to tell if I will like it and stick to it, but pleased thus far.  Now that I've added the aerobic element, I think that this is an excellent time to take hard look at my weight.  I really ought to lose about 35 - 40 pounds, which is a lot, but I consider myself extremely lucky compared to many other people,  With a modest monthly loss, a year and a half seems a reasonable target to set.


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## Uncle Bob

If you are just beginning your change of life style might I suggest a visit to your family physician for a check up. He/she can point you in the right direction as to your exercise and diet/weight loss goals. 

If you are passed this initial stage, and have been successful in your  goals, then congratulations! It can be a challenge. Trust me I know!

As to the exact calorie count in your chicken stock I and others can only guess. There are too many variables envolved. It sounds like a great stock, and if you have been enjoying it, and meeting your goals then I would not be overly concerned. I would just continue to enjoy making it, and the best part eating it!! 

Good luck on your travels to better health through proper eating and exercise!! It is a laudable journey!

Enjoy!


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## Yakuta

It's not only the fat trimmed from the chicken that you simmer that adds to calories but skin adds to it as well. 

I remove the skin and fat from the chicken prior to simmering it with water.  Another sure bet to get rid of all fat without going through the trouble of removing fat and skin is to make the stock (using a washed and cut up chicken - fat, skin and all).  

Fish the meat out, strain the stock through a mesh strainer to catch any upleasent bits.  Now cover and place the stock in the refrigerator overnight. 

All the fat will rise up to the surface, skimm it and you have a virtually fat free chicken stock.


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## Andy M.

Here is a link to the US Department of Agriculture's food nutrient database.  You can look up most foods and get tons more detail than you cna ever use.  It's downloadable to your computer so you don't have to be online to use it.

I looked up home prepared chicken stock and it lists 86 calories per cup and 2.88 grams of fat.


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## skilletlicker

D_Blackwell said:
			
		

> I'm starting to do some calorie counting, and am having a hard time getting a fix on calories per cup of of homemade chicken stock.  My searching has brought up some very wide ranging results.
> 
> My chicken stock recipe is as plain jane as one might expect.  About 1 1/2 gallons water, one 6 pound whole chicken (meat removed and reserved when cooked - bones and parts added back to stock), celery, carrots, onions, bay leaves, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 30 crushed peppercorns.  5 hour simmer.  Finished stock is strained, cooled overnight, defatted next day, then frozen in 2 cup portions.  Target yield is about 1 gallon, but if I'm off  on the simmer the yield can range from a high of 1 1/4 gallons to a low of 3/4 gallon.
> 
> What are the best guesstimates on calories per cup for homemade chicken stock?


That's a lot like how I make stock but seems like a lot of pepper and I like to reduce more.


			
				Andy M. said:
			
		

> Boiling the stock causes fat to emulsify and disperse into the stock rather than being available to rise to the surface for removal.


 A strategy for preventing rapid boil is important because I usually make stock while watching sports.  The requisite cheering and imbibing distract from the stockpot.  I use a probe thermometer with the alarm set at 190F to restrict the temperature.

I've tried, unsuccessfully, to find the caloric and nutritional values of stock and collagen.  Please keep us appraised of your progress.


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## StirBlue

I made chicken soup recently. I removed all the skin from the chicken and rinsed the chicken. Placed it in a pot and covered with water. I brought it to an easy boil and turned the heat to medium/low, covered and let it cook for an hour. Perfect! (if I do say so...)

At this point, I would call the liquid chicken juice. I removed the chicken, boned it, chopped the chicken and only returned the chicken to the pot. (THIS WAS MADE FOR A VERY ILL PERSON...SO NOTHING ELSE WAS ADDED)

The leftover chicken soup was refrigerated and the following day the juice was still liquid. 

When you leave the skin and fat on the chicken, it becomes incorporated with the liquid. Some of the fat will rise to the surface when cold, but the liquid will gel and become a gelatin type substance because gelatin is made from animal fat.

The chicken soup that I made has 80 to 110 calories per serving.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Everything we consume, except water, has some caloric content.  The reason skin is calorie rich is because of the subcutaneous fat hidden under it.  When you remove the skin, you remove much of the fat.

As to fat in the liquid, unless you have added and emulsifying agent to the stock, the majority of the fat will seperate from the liquid, just as cream seperates from non-homogonized milk.  It will float to the surface and harden, especially if the stock is chilled in the fridge.  It can then be lifted off of the gelled stock (aspic).

And yes, the strained and defated stock is very nourishing and very low in calories.  Most of the calcories will come from the veggies that you cooked.  That wonderful carrot flavor is actually sugar.  Root veggies, such as turnips, beets, carrots, etc. store their energy as sugars in the root.  In fact, it wasn't until sugar beets were found as an alternative to cane sugar that susgar was available to consumers at a reasonable price.

So things like onion, and carrots do add carbohydrates to the stock.  The celery, it is also very low in caloric content.

The stock is full of vitamins and mineral content as you have leached the marrow, calcium, and collagen from the chicken carcass.  The collagen is what causes the stock to gell, and is a cousin to protien.  

So eat your chicken soup knowing that you are indeed ingesting high quality nutrition.  Include whole grain foods and colorful veggies in you meals as well and you have the beginnings of a great diet.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Candocook

I would have to guess that there are many other parts of the diet that could have calories removed/examined than homemade stock. There is a lot of tummy satisfaction in it, as the OP mentioned, that will lead to a feeling of satiation. So, I think I would use this, and not worry too much about it.
One thing my doctor suggested with regard to weight loss was a per cent as a goal (rather than saying 50 lbs, for example). Set a goal of losing 5%-10% of your weight in a realistic manner. Then if need be, do it again.
Just a thought.  'o)


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## Michael in FtW

D_Blackwell said:
			
		

> I'm starting to do some calorie counting, and am having a hard time getting a fix on calories per cup of of homemade chicken stock. My searching has brought up some very wide ranging results.


 
Yes - because "*it depends*" ...

Nutrition Data is a good site to get general nutritional information on foods based on user selectable quantities.


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## VeraBlue

StirBlue said:
			
		

> I made chicken soup recently. I removed all the skin from the chicken and rinsed the chicken. Placed it in a pot and covered with water. I brought it to an easy boil and turned the heat to medium/low, covered and let it cook for an hour. Perfect! (if I do say so...)
> 
> At this point, I would call the liquid chicken juice. I removed the chicken, boned it, chopped the chicken and only returned the chicken to the pot. (THIS WAS MADE FOR A VERY ILL PERSON...SO NOTHING ELSE WAS ADDED)
> 
> The leftover chicken soup was refrigerated and the following day the juice was still liquid.
> 
> When you leave the skin and fat on the chicken, it becomes incorporated with the liquid. Some of the fat will rise to the surface when cold, but the liquid will gel and become a gelatin type substance because gelatin is made from animal fat.
> 
> The chicken soup that I made has 80 to 110 calories per serving.



Actually, that gel is from the marrow of the bones, which is what aspic was made from before the days of Knox gelatine.   The fat you'd find would look like margarine.


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## D_Blackwell

I appreciate the responses.



> Here is a link to the US Department of Agriculture's food nutrient database.


 Very interesting.



> That's a lot like how I make stock but seems like a lot of pepper and I like to reduce more.


 Yes, it's more pepper than probably any recipe calls for.  I often double or trouble quantities of some spices or key flavorings, as many recipes don't call for enough IMO.

I look for a liquid reduction of about 1/3 (I aim to reduce 1 1/2 gallon initial water to a yield of 1 gallon of 'stock'.  Actually, though I'm calling it 'stock', I'm aiming for a rich, strong  broth.  (I classify 'broth' as less intense (less reduced) than 'stock', which I would typically then need to cut/dillute when used.



> A strategy for preventing rapid boil is important because I usually make stock while watching sports.


 I just take a quick peek every thirty minutes or so.  I've made this so many times, that I get it dialed in pretty well the first hour or so.

* - Remove fat and skin - *
I don't see myself doing this.  Mostly I want to gauge as accurately as possible how much to allow in the calorie assessment for the existing recipe.  

My searching has found quotes ranging from 25 to 200 calories per cup.  The consensus here _seems_ to be that the _*majority*_ of the fat will rise and set while cooling; which is then easily removed.  I've decided, for now, as my best guess, to call it 100 calories per cup.  I hold a simmer/light boil for five hours, so am trying to allow, as several have suggested, for the fat that might render into the 'broth/stock'.  I wish that I could feel surer of this guesstimate though.

Nevertheless, two cups of very rich broth, at 200 total calories, is a very filling and satisfying meal and calorically cheap.



> Actually, that gel is from the marrow of the bones, which is what aspic was made from before the days of Knox gelatine. The fat you'd find would look like margarine.


 Interesting, and adds to my hope that 100 calories is a fair number to settle on for now.


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