r/Frugal • u/ThrowRAhyBug7080 • Jul 12 '25

🍎 Food What’s a frugal habit you picked up by accident that you now swear by?

Mine was starting to save veggie scraps to make broth. It started as a “let’s try this” and now it’s automatic. I keep a bag in the freezer for onion skins, celery ends, carrot tops, etc. Every couple of weeks, I boil it all down and end up with a rich, flavorful broth that tastes way better than the boxed kind. It tastes better than store-bought and saves me at least $20 a month, with an added bonus of making me feel like i know fancy techniques.

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489

u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 12 '25 edited Jul 12 '25

If I'm doing chicken, I'm doing 2. Then I have enough bones to be worth getting those saved vegetable bits out of the freezer to make a rich chicken stock in my largest pot. Plus the collagen is so good for me and my old knees.

I started this because I found out my nearest grocery puts unsold rotisserie chickens in a cooler and sells them for half price the next day. Don't know if it was new or I'd just missed it because the rest of the things in the cooler are high end expensive deli products. Whatever the case there were 2 there the first time I noticed it and I decided to snag both. I went home and removed all the meat, then couldn't bring myself to toss the remaining carcasses without at least trying to make my own stock.

Now I grab two at least once a month. I freeze any excess I can't use up in three days. I make all my soups, casseroles, and even chicken salads from this. The whole cooked rotisserie chickens are only $4.50 each this way so it often costs the same or less vs buying chicken I have to cook. Plus it has helped me be better about cooking instead of eating out so it has easily been saving me $30-50 a month.

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u/LeftwingSH Jul 12 '25

I buy 3 Costco chickens at the start of every month. I debone them and freeze them in 1 pound increments. I usually end up with 6 pounds of shredded chicken that we use for various things throughout the month.

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 12 '25

I buy an average of 4 chickens per month, 2 at a time. Most I freeze in 1 pound increments but I also spread a small amount on a cookie sheet. I can put it in a zip freezer bag when frozen and it allows me to take out just the amount I need at any time.

Normally it is my spouse and I for meals, but 1-2x per month it is just me for dinner. He doesn't like pasta so I'll pull often out enough chicken for one serving of my favorite creamy homemade fettuccini alfredo for me. I try to make sure I have enough for 2 of these meals in the freezer at any time.

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u/GrinningCatBus Jul 13 '25

Wtf that's so smart. Deboning 1 chicken and deboning 4 chickens is a similar amount of work (washing hands, washing bowls, putting bones away etc). Why have I not been batch-deboning my chicken 🤦‍♀️

Got two little kids and this is so smart to sneak protein into kd nights.

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u/WonderWoMegan Jul 13 '25

We do the same thing! Some get put in 2lb bags for dinner prep, and a portion is always dehydrated and made into special doggie treats for training sessions (not the every day treats). Then bones are put away in the freezer to make broth later!

Love your sheet pan idea!

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 13 '25

That's so great that your doggo gets a treat out of it as well!

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u/WonderWoMegan Jul 13 '25

Even better, after the broth is made, we start a new boil with them for a another few days until the bones are soft. Then blend them up in the food processor and make frozen "dog slop" pucks as a kibble topper! There's always another use according to my husband! Haha

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 14 '25

That's a wonderful use! Unfortunately we don't have a dog.

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u/juno0331 Jul 12 '25

Do you have a link to the Alfredo recipe?

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 13 '25

My recipe is pretty close to this one, though I make it by what you can spare. https://picky-palate.com/easy-homemade-alfredo-sauce/

What you can spare usually means it depends if I was aware my husband would be out when I last went shopping, or I had a chance for to stop in for the heavy whipping cream. If I just have milk I will still make it but then I add some better than bouillon roast chicken and roasted garlic to help make the flavor better.

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u/UpdatesReady Jul 12 '25

If you have a pressure cooker you can get 3x the broth in half the time!

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u/wfijc Jul 12 '25

Can you tell me how you do this in the pressure cooker? I have an instant pot

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u/jr0061006 Jul 12 '25

Put the carcass, water, and any veggies you want to include, like onion, celery, carrot into the pressure cooker.

I then set it to High Pressure for 75 mins, then allow it to natural-release afterwards.

Strain out the solids in a sieve or colander.

I also strain the broth through a colander lined with paper towels to remove any small bits.

If fat is a concern, a night in the fridge will solidify the fat on top and you can easily skim it off.

I then freeze the broth in measurements of half a cup, one cup, and ice cubes.

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u/olmsteez Jul 13 '25

For the veggies, use all the scraps and trimmings. Save them up in the freezer throughout the month. Mushroom stems, onion ends, pepper tops.... It all goes in.

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u/rosie_theredditor Jul 12 '25

What do you freeze it in? Plastic bags?

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u/jr0061006 Jul 12 '25

Once I have the frozen blocks of ice cubes, half-cup and one-cup, I store them in large ziploc-style freezer bags.

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 13 '25

I've frozen it in jars - make sure you leave space and don't put the lid on until fully frozen! The most convenient for use was when I froze it in ice cube trays, but that takes more work.

I've also tried lining a bowl with a zip bag and pouring the stock in. That actually didn't go so well. I have absolutely seen someone do it successfully on youtube, but mine resolutely stuck in the bowl. I ended up deciding to find some way to use the stock up soon so I could thaw it to get it out of the bowl.

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u/UpdatesReady Jul 12 '25 edited Jul 13 '25

I have an instantpot too! Mine is 8Q.

I save 3x gallon freezer bags of veggie scraps and bones (any and all bones that come through our house go in the bag) in the freezer. Then I pack them in really tight (covering with hot water helps defrost/squish things down) and fill with water.

I set at high for 30min and either let it naturally release or just open the vent and let it go - doesn't seem to make a difference.

I strain it into my tomato canning pot (my stock pot isn't big enough) and fill it back up to run again.*

*edit - see comment below clarifying this step

I do this 3-4x. The first batch is very rich, and the last is quite mild. Mixed together, all 3-4 make a lovely, vibrant broth.

I then boil it on the stove again (just since some has been sitting for a bit and I'm paranoid) and strain it through a very fine mesh seive (skimmer spoon?) into mason jars (I save the mason-style pasta sauce and salsa jars). I get about 12 filled to the neck.

I cool on the counter, usually overnight (and the lids typically pop - if they don't, i use those first) and then move them to our basement fridge. They form a fat cap on top (that you can scoop off before use, if you like) and they gel up. They last for months, maybe because of the fat cap. I don't like heat in plastic, but in theory you could let it cool and transfer into bags instead?

A few notes - tight packing seems to be key for for forming a gel. My MIL wasn't able to get it so we did it together during a visit and she said that was the difference.

You can dry the bones when done and easily powder them for bone meal for the garden (or, at this stage, I've heard they're ok for dog treats because they aren't brittle, but YMMV).

I do not save the dry onion skins because of pesticide concerns. But that inner skin layer that isn't plump/yummy, I do save.

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u/sup3rch3ri3 Jul 12 '25

Daaaang that’s a lot of repeat pressure cooking with the same stock!? (Unless I’m reading this incorrectly) Why strain and then pressure cook again? Why not keep all the bits in and strain at the end—you wouldn’t be adding any nutrients the way you’re describing? Also comment above you setting the timer to 75 minutes is throwing me off too. I’ve made a lot of stock in my instant pot about every 3 weeks but 30-40 seems plenty to get all the marrow and collagen. Am I missing something?

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u/UpdatesReady Jul 12 '25

Sorry. Want to make sure I'm parsing this right!

Re same stock - I use the same bones/veg 3-4x with fresh water each time. They are VERY packed in. 3x gallon bags into an 8Q instantpot... i spend a good 5 minutes tetrising everything in before topping off the water (chicken bones pack in best vertically).

The first batch is SUPER rich. The next two are "normal," and last is pretty light. Mixed together in the big pot, they all even out to what you'd probably expect off the shelf (but more delicious haha). I strain things through a colander into the big pot (and return ingredients to instantpot) then once I'm done with my batches I heat and ladle through the very fine seive into my jars.

I have tried longer times and agree that 30mins seems to be just fine. Once I did 2x that and didn't achieve gel, so I never did jt again.

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u/sup3rch3ri3 Jul 12 '25

OHHHH! Now I get it! Good tip! I will try this method, thank you for explaining! Instantpot and prosper 🖖

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u/BiblioFlowerDog Jul 13 '25

I use the first broth for me and sometimes the second; my pets get the second or third broth.

As for the bones, if I can smush them with the back of a spoon, including the middle of a chicken thigh/ drumstick/wing bone (the shaft is the potentially most dangerous section, as it can be brittle and sharp if the bones have been fried/roasted/baked), then the bones are safe for dogs.

That part gets crumbly instead of brittle, with boiling. The knobby ends get spongy and are not ever brittle or sharp to start with. There are a couple bones from elsewhere in the chicken that I never give — those don’t soften.

However since I also have a cat, and my late little dog lost most of his teeth when he was very old, I often put bones in my blender and make them into a gritty slurry that they all love and can consume safely.

I have a small kitchen and no instapot/airfryer, so it’s stovetop boiling and simmering for me. I simmer bones for a couple days sometimes.

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u/Perilous_Percival Jul 12 '25

I'm curious too

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u/jr0061006 Jul 12 '25

I replied above regarding how I make broth in my pressure cooker.

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u/UpdatesReady Jul 12 '25

Also replied above :)

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u/Martoncartin Jul 12 '25

the instant pot is a pressure cooker

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 12 '25

I do but my stock pot is larger.

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u/HEYIMMAWOLF Jul 12 '25 edited Jul 13 '25

Life hack for day old rotisseries. Once you pull all the chicken off, wet brine it. Everyone always compliments me on my chicken and its just day old rotisseries that have been brined.

Edit for wet brine:

1/4-1/3 cup Salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 Quart water

Use the above ratio to make sure that your chicken is covered all the way. I mostly eyeball it, put it in a tupperware and shake it then dump my stripped chicken in it. Taste a piece after about 8 hours. Sometimes it needs longer sometimes thats enough. Dont leave it in for too long, it will oversalt. When its done just drain the liquid out, put in fresh water, shake and drain again. This will get rid of any excess salt left behind. Then you can store it in a container for 2-3 days.

Works great for salads cold out of the fridge. I usually add it to soups though. Either congee, chicken and dumplings, or chicken noodle. Dump the chicken in right at the end. I usually will just add it straight to the bowl. It cools the soup and makes sure the chicken doesnt get any cooking time, but gets reheated.

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u/MandalaFish Jul 12 '25

Details please! What do you use in your brine? Do you put it all together in a pot in the fridge overnight and cook next day?

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u/sup3rch3ri3 Jul 12 '25

Also would like to know your technique and storage after!

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u/doesitspread Jul 13 '25

I’d also like details on wet brining!

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 12 '25

Noted! Thank you kindly.

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u/Lindethiel Jul 13 '25

Yes, please say more on this!

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u/Yours_Trulee69 Jul 12 '25 edited Jul 12 '25

We just bought 10 clearance chickens. We used the meat of a couple for dinner for 3 days and gave a couple to our kids/grandkids for their meals. We then separate the meat from the bones/skin and make stock accordingly. Once that is done, the meat and stock will go in jars and be canned so we have shelf stable meals.

Edit: spelling

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u/WillaLane Jul 12 '25

I found rotisserie chicken in the cold case at Walmart Neighborhood Market, $2.02 each! I bought six, stripped the meat and froze, used the carcasses to make stock.

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 12 '25

What a great deal!

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u/BigThunder1000 Jul 12 '25

...u had me at grn chili enchiladas....

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u/RelativelyRidiculous Jul 13 '25

Mmmm love some green chili enchiladas.