Chicken & Pork Stocks & Guanciale (cured pig cheek)

Chicken Stock

I bought 4 chicken frames (leftover chicken carcases)  for 4.85$ so I thought I'd try the instant pot (IP) out to make chicken stock.

I'm sort of following the video below:

I cut up the frames and browned them using the saute setting. They were a bit awkward but I got some reasonable browning. I used a lid on the top to stop the vapour getting out.

Then I cut up an onion and about 6 small cloves of garlic and browned them  after taking the chichen out.

2 small carrots, pepper, marjoram, thyme and a couple of bay leaves and then filled with water to almost the maximum level.

Then I moved the IP into the utility room  and put on high pressure, setting 10 (broth) and manually set for 1 hour.

So with the heating up, then the 1 hour at high pressure, then the cooling down it should be ready in about 2 1/2 hours.

It was making a bit of noise while it was heating up and bubbling and steam out of the valve. Now its at pressure its pretty silent.

Chicken Terrine

There was a bit of chicken on the frames ,so I thought I'd try making a terrine with the meat and boiled veges from the stock. Worth a crack.

I tok some of the stock and simmered it to reduce it. I found, with the ramikins that I needed to put the chicken/carrot/parsley and spices in loose so that the reduced stock could get into the spaces , so there wasn't a liquid layer at the bottom and the meat compacted on the top.

I cut cardboard rings and put tins on top and in the fridge, I'll chechk them tomorow.

Here is a vid with fresh chicken:

I'm just seeing if I can use the leftovers for something interesting. Its worth doing the process.

I used cutout cardboard shapes to put on top of ramikins and also used 2 layers of clingfilm to wrap inside ramikin.

 I had to cool the stock down prior to pouring it over the meat in the ramikin.

They seem soft after being in fridge overnight so I'll put them in the freezer when I've room. I don't think the reduction of the broth was enough to make it geletenous.

I will get some gelatine for the brawn before attempting that.

Pork Stock

I was thinking of doing pulled pork so went to Pa'n'Save for a cheap bit of pork, instead they had some Half pig's heads (cool).

I'm going to do a pig cheek thingy and use the rest of the head for stock. No ear on the head, so that has been used elsewhere.

Apparently take eyes and brains out then cook up the meat.

 There is also an oppertunity for some brawn. So I may think about that:

But first I've got to finish off the chicken stock then think about doing the pigs heat.

I have done a bit of prepping, I had to chop snout down as it was so long and I'm concerned it wont fit in the pot. The rest of the pigs head, after taking off the cheek came to 1.3kg. Hopefully there will be a bit of meat on it to make brawn.

GUANCIALE

I'd been reading about pig cheeks for a panaceta like cured meat, apparently better if fried. Apparently called GUANCIALE. Home Cured Pork Cheek 'Bacon' video:

Apparently 3% salt (not iodine salt) and 1% sugar, a couple of bay leaves, some pepper, he used Fennel seeds for rub.

On tray, open in fridge for 4 days, turn each day, leave open to air. Then hang and air to get rid of 30% by weight.

 This is a video for getting the cheek off the bone:

I've put all the spices (himalayan salt) and others and used fennel for flavouring into the coffee grinder and rubbed over the meat. 

The cheek was 783g , thick in places and it is now in a glass dish in the fridge. I will turn it for 4 days then hang it. It is propped up on a plastic tray so if any fluid leaks out the meat is not sitting in it.