I'm using chicken wings to make a stock, but they want to float up to the top above the water line. Any kitchen hacks to keep them submerged??
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2Place a plate on it.– OptionpartyFeb 5, 2014 at 2:38
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I'll try that now.– telecasterrokFeb 5, 2014 at 2:48
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1@Optionparty, that works thanks! If you post that in an answer then I can give you credit.– telecasterrokFeb 5, 2014 at 2:51
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3The plate works, but it is not really necessary. Assuming you stir your stock very occasionally over its long simmer, everything will get fully extracted--especially since the content tends to shrink over the duration.– SAJ14SAJFeb 5, 2014 at 4:22
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1Besides, the chicken will sink on its own after a while.– Carey GregoryFeb 5, 2014 at 16:25
4 Answers
I never worry about this. As your stock simmers, the joints, muscle and connective tissue break down and eventually they'll sink in. Sometimes adding a bit of vinegar to your stock first helps with this. Until then, just stir the stock and move the bones around occasionally.
If you have a steamer basket, or a colander that fits in your pot, you can place that upside-down on top and place a weight on it to hold everything down.
Also make sure that you are keeping the temperature at a very gentle simmer. If you cook at too high of a temperature (at a rolling boil, for example) that will push the meat and bones upwards.
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Hello John, I am sorry I have to delete a second answer of yours even though I see that you are genuinely trying to make good contributions :( But we are not a discussion forum, and we take the questions very literally; answers should address the exact problem in the question and not other problems which might arise in the same context. Your answer is not related to the problem itself, and I guess this is why it got downvoted, even though it is generally good advice when making stock. When you get a bit of reputation, you will be able to leave comments, which are not so strictly moderated.– rumtscho ♦Feb 10, 2014 at 11:51
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thank you for clarifying. I wasn't aware that you are talking about a connection between simmering and rising. The downvote is not mine, so I can't remove it, but I undeleted.– rumtscho ♦Feb 10, 2014 at 19:41
I use a drop lid, in a lot of Japanese cooking, the use of a wooden lid which is a smaller diameter than the cooking pot is used to keep foods submerged. But a plate works just a well, it's just hard to fish out of the hot liquid sometimes.