Chicken Feet for the Soup

Chicken Feet for the Soup

Last Saturday, I was of a mind to smoke some homemade Italian sausage from Wettstein’s at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market, but they were all out. I saw a sign for chicken feet, and when I asked the nice lady about them, she said they sell them mostly for soup. My mother-in-law chimed in, “During the Depression, my mother made the best chicken soup with chicken feet.” Now, the Depression is a big qualifier to any food memory, but I bit and bought a three pound bag.

First, I browned them.





Then I made a simple stock (carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf, garlic, pepper, salt). I tasted the unadorned broth and it was very rich: the collagens, fats, etc. in the poultry tootsies gave the liquor a depth and intensity I have not achieved with quarters, backs, etc.

Tonight, Vichyssoise.

David Hammond wrote:Chicken Feet for the Soup

Last Saturday, I was of a mind to smoke some homemade Italian sausage from Wettstein’s at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market, but they were all out. I saw a sign for chicken feet, and when I asked the nice lady about them, she said they sell them mostly for soup. My mother-in-law chimed in, “During the Depression, my mother made the best chicken soup with chicken feet.” Now, the Depression is a big qualifier to any food memory, but I bit and bought a three pound bag.

First, I browned them.





Then I made a simple stock (carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf, garlic, pepper, salt). I tasted the unadorned broth and it was very rich: the collagens, fats, etc. in the poultry tootsies gave the liquor a depth and intensity I have not achieved with quarters, backs, etc.

Tonight, Vichyssoise.

I've grossed-out a few friends over the years by stopping at Chinatown Market post-LSC to pick up chicken feet for stock. The s/o doesn't even like me keeping them in the freezer with the assorted other chicken parts.

I've never paid much attention to the chicken tootsies - what's a roundabout guess on what would be a good price per lb on these from one of the smaller grocery chains or stores in Chicagoland? I might start using these for stock (if the price is right.)

David,

You mention depth and intensity, and I agree that a stock made with the inclusion of chicken feet has a remarkable gelatinous quality. But all feet and not enough backs, necks, wings, miscelaneous parts, etc...yields a stock that is lacking in actual chicken flavor, in my opinion.

seebee wrote:I've never paid much attention to the chicken tootsies - what's a roundabout guess on what would be a good price per lb on these from one of the smaller grocery chains or stores in Chicagoland? I might start using these for stock (if the price is right.)

I have seen them for $1.29-1.49/ Lb at Garden Fresh in Vernon Hills. Personally, I would NOT use them as the only chicken part to make soup. Rather, I would throw in a package of backbones and necks. Backbones for the flavor and necks for the meat.

David,
Although I have never used chicken feet, my mother used them all the time for chicken soup. I don't know if she used any other parts. But, what I do remember is her giving them to a much younger cousin as a baby as a teething thing to suck on.
Paulette

my mother too would use chicken feet -- increased the gelatinous quality of the soup -- but this along with a stewing hen -- which, if it had not quite matured eggs inside -- was a real treasure -- she would also put a bunch of fresh dillweed in the soup

My late mother was a young woman during the depression, and she regarded chicken feet at a treat!

She included them in her chicken soup and afterward would happily chew away on the cooked feet.

Evil Ronnie wrote:David,

You mention depth and intensity, and I agree that a stock made with the inclusion of chicken feet has a remarkable gelatinous quality. But all feet and not enough backs, necks, wings, miscelaneous parts, etc...yields a stock that is lacking in actual chicken flavor, in my opinion.

It's the gelatinous quality of the broth that was most different than the kind I usually make (usually with quarters). It was "heavy."

Incidentally, I paid 2 bucks a pound for my poultry paws, which was way too high, I know.

$2/lb for local+organic? I'm not so sure that's a bad deal.

gleam wrote:$2/lb for local+organic? I'm not so sure that's a bad deal.

Well, you're right, taking those factors into account, but they're available for a lot less, of course...and my Depression-era mother-in-law let out a small gasp when I told her what I paid.

gleam wrote:$2/lb for local+organic? I'm not so sure that's a bad deal.

Seems to me that a lot of the less desirable cuts these days - oxtails, chicken feet are pretty expensive these days.

In October, I was in central Utah at the Norbest Turkey plant's outlet store, and they had some of the parts - necks, wings, feet, etc. for well under a $1.00.

jlawrence01 wrote:
Seems to me that a lot of the less desirable cuts these days - oxtails, chicken feet are pretty expensive these days.

In October, I was in central Utah at the Norbest Turkey plant's outlet store, and they had some of the parts - necks, wings, feet, etc. for well under a $1.00.

Yes, $4.99-6.99/lb at the Korean markets... ?Oh well... I've stopped eating them anyways for concerns of BSE (at least that's what I tell myself).

I haven't bought chicken feets at CM since last year...I don't recall the exact price, but it seems they were practically giving them away.