For many years, I have made homemade chicken soup and stock. A few years back, I started cooking the Nourishing Traditions way and read about gel in chicken stock/soup for the first time. I made chicken stock constantly, but never could get it to gel. I gave up. For years, I just assumed I was doing something wrong and incapable of making the kind of chicken stock and soup that could really benefit anyone. I made my peace with my stock demons.
And, then yesterday I finally figured it out: I didn't know what I was looking for. As I took my big pot of chicken soup out the fridge to skim off the fat, I noticed that the liquid part was all gelly. I thought it was weird. Then, I got really excited. That's the gel I'd been reading about! That's the gel that's been mysteriously escaping my abilities all these years!
But, why now? And why with this particular chicken, all non-organic or free-range?
And that's when I truly understood. The gelling had been happening all along, it's just that I always thought it would appear while the stock/soup was hot. What I think of as "congealed" others call the gel. Oh!
I wanted to share my joy at finally figuring this thing out. It really was a sore spot in my relationship with stock.
And, then yesterday I finally figured it out: I didn't know what I was looking for. As I took my big pot of chicken soup out the fridge to skim off the fat, I noticed that the liquid part was all gelly. I thought it was weird. Then, I got really excited. That's the gel I'd been reading about! That's the gel that's been mysteriously escaping my abilities all these years!
But, why now? And why with this particular chicken, all non-organic or free-range?
And that's when I truly understood. The gelling had been happening all along, it's just that I always thought it would appear while the stock/soup was hot. What I think of as "congealed" others call the gel. Oh!
I wanted to share my joy at finally figuring this thing out. It really was a sore spot in my relationship with stock.
that's great! glad you found what you were looking for, right under your nose! 
mine doesn't always gel, i wonder if it has to do with how much fat is in it, or how long i cook it? hhmmm....
