Question for you cooks out there. I frequently do roasts or briskets in my slow cooker. Each time I make it, I save whatever broth and juices are left for the next one. (Sometimes I add bacon grease to it in the fridge.) I use the grease/broth to cover the meat while slow cooking. It dawned on me today that these glorious juices are a combo of many generations of roasts etc. Is that ok? Is there a limit on how long you can reuse it? I remember grandma making buckwheat pancakes and always saving a starter for the next time. Sorta the same thing, right? I havenât keeled over yet. Just curious.
Juicy question
OldDoug
(Doug)
#2
Itâs getting sterilized every cook, and in the refrigerator should last a long time. âForever,â though - if it smells and tastes okay I wouldnât worry, but eventually youâll have more than you need, correct? Maybe change it out every month or twoâŚ?
Digital_Dave
#3
I donât see it as a bad idea overall myself, but I also wouldnât think it would have a too long of a shelf-life so to speak. - We do something similarly ourselves, since I use either Beef or Chicken Broth with Slow Cooker, or similarly slow cooked stuffs. We will usually just add in some more stuff/things to this leftover juice & this is usually within the same week or so. - This does work fine but canât say I would personally like to continue this, or keep it much further beyond that timeframe. But thatâs not to say one couldnât?
Also not knowing what all would be in this âmysteryâ mix, that too may come into play with itâs longevity.
For instance, last night we cooked up some Chicken Breast that I sliced into thinner filets, and instead of just frying it up quickly in Butter, I had the Wife add a couple cups of Chicken Broth to simmer in the Frying Pan. This just adds additional flavor to the Chicken, which was then used on wraps. But a lot of the juice cooked into the meat, so there wasnât all that much left afterwards. âŚBut when she makes the Chicken, Italian Sausage & Shrimp Soup, she likes, she usually has so much juice left, she can simply add in more of the mentioned items, and make a second batch with the same juices. But it is usually done after said second batch. ⌠And some of the other stuff, such as with Roast, a lot of times we will also use the juice to make gravies, so that gets used up some that way too.
PaulL
(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing)
#4
If you are bringing it back to a boil periodically, then Iâd say itâs probably fine.
robintemplin
(Robin)
#5
@PaulL @Digital_Dave @OldDoug
Well, it does always come to a boil, and I keep the remaining broth in the freezer. I only add generic spices, nothing exotic, no veggies.
Iâm tempted to keep it and use it during Thanksgiving. Would be a great addition to green beans, stuffing, etc. Then out it goes and Iâll start fresh again.
If you hear of an outbreak of Ptomaine Poisoning in Wichita, Ks over the holidaysâŚ. This conversation never happened.
Digital_Dave
#6
Mums the word⌠Unless youâre from the UK, it means the Mommyâs are yellinâ something! 
PaulL
(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing)
#7
Friends help you move . . . real friends help you move bodies.
KetoType2
(UsedToBeT2D)
#9
I just drink it, or give it to my dogs. The epileptic beagle loves it. She does well with it.
Cecile
(Cecile Seth)
#11
We use such liquids as a âgravyâ with the meat. Absolutely delectable! No chance of any making it into the freezer!
robintemplin
(Robin)
#12
Yeah, I use it as gravy too. It just takes so much to cover a big brisket in a large crock pot, that there is always more.
Digital_Dave
#13
Yeah, gravyâs always a given for juices⌠but I just got thoughts of some sort of âCarni-Protein-Shakeâ 
⌠Like some type of Warm Elixir! âŚIâll be dreaming of recipes now until morning.
Shinita
#14
I am not sure itâs similar but that was my first thought too 
I do the same with my SOâs bread as the old dough makes the bread way tastier. But it ferments while meaty juices do other things⌠But I have no idea if itâs good, I would think as you, if it feels nice, I wouldnât worry (my body is pretty resilient, I never managed to eat food, good or not so much - I had desperate moments - that made a noticeable harmâŚ).
I donât know slow cookers, so they produce liquid?
My roasts in the oven donât do that, well a little very rarely (usually they need a tiny extra water) but it usually becomes jelly and thatâs fun and I eat it. But once I had some leftover and I poured it into my next soup though first I wanted to try it in egg puddingâŚ