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.
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
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.
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.