What to do if the jello did not freeze overnight?

Kholodets is a traditional dish of Russian cuisine, which is served almost at every feast. It is based on a rich broth and meat chopped into small pieces. The most popular type of chłodtz is considered cooked from pork legs, but there are also other common options: chicken, beef.

Traditional chlodecake without gelatin is considered a difficult dish to prepare. Inexperienced cooks may encounter a problem when the cholodecake does not freeze. How to correct the situation and serve a perfect dish to the table, we will learn in this article.

What should be the chłodeche

To cook delicious jelly, you need not only to clearly follow the recipe, but also understand how the finished dish should look. Only correctly selected proportions of products will help to achieve the ideal consistency of the jelly. First of all, the finished version should hold its shape, but easily divide into pieces when serving. When using gelatin, the amount of gelatin should be controlled. Otherwise, you can achieve too dense a consistency. In the traditional version, gelatin is not added because the meats used have a gelling effect.

The appearance is also of great importance. The correct jelly has the following qualities:

• transparency of the broth;
• a large percentage of meat;
• absence of fat on the surface;
• absence of bones;
• Soft but stable consistency.

Why the jelly won't solidify

Cold cream can fail to solidify for a number of reasons, but in some cases it is possible to bring it to the right consistency. To do this, it is important to understand exactly what the failure is related to:

1. Insufficient boiling time. The minimum amount of time it takes to cook the dish is 4 hours. It is extremely important to consider the number of ingredients. If there are a lot of them, you should increase the cooking time, so that the gelling components have time to boil out of the bones.
2. Not enough bones in the broth. The ideal ratio of bones and meat is 1:1. If you increase the number of bones, the density of the chłodnik will be too high, if you increase the amount of meat - not enough for solidification.
3. Violation of cooking techniques. It is extremely important to cook the dish only on minimum heat, otherwise the gelling component will evaporate from the broth.
4. Poor quality products. All ingredients used should be of high quality, well washed and checked for shelf life.
5. The presence of harmful microbes that can be found in poultry or meat. To ensure their absence, it is important to pre-soak the blank in a water-salt solution.

How to fix a non-frozen jelly

There are several proven ways to return an unsuccessful dish to the desired consistency:

1. Adding gelatin is the most effective option for a quick fix. A small amount of swollen gelatin should be added to the boiling broth.
2. Using an additional amount of broth. Chicken feet should be added to it, then simmer for several hours. Unfrozen version of the broth should be replaced with a new one, which will solidify quickly.
3. Adding sub-products to the broth. In this case, not only the liquid is used, but also the meat, separated from the bones. It should be combined with the meat previously prepared for the chłodnik and pour the new broth.

In each of the three cases, it is important to boil the broth together with the meat.

Is it possible to overcook the chłodnik

There is a widespread belief that it is possible to determine how the chłodecake will turn out, immediately after cooking is completed. As the broth cools, a small fatty film should appear on the surface. If it is absent, additional cooking time is required.

Boiling can help only if there are bones in the broth. In this case, to get the right amount of collagen, it is enough to put the pot on the fire for a few more hours.

If the casserole has already been distributed into molds, and the bones have been discarded, gelatin or new broth will be needed to solidify the casserole.

How to know if the broth will solidify in the chłodnik

Every hostess has her own ways to urgently restore a spoiled dish, but jelly is almost impossible to fix quickly. Experienced chefs recommend checking for solidification of the liquid in advance. To do this, you will need to do the following even before the completion of cooking broth:

• Place a small amount of broth in a mug or pot;
• Place the cooled container with liquid in the refrigerator for at least an hour;
• If the mass has solidified, you can use all the liquid.

If the broth has not solidified, you need to pay attention to its density and the degree of readiness of the meat, and then continue cooking over low heat.

How to cook chłodecks so that they solidify

The classic recipe does not involve the use of gelatin, so to serve a quality dish to the table you need to adhere to the recommendations for its preparation:

1. As the main ingredient, you can use one variety or combine several varieties of meat.
2. To solidify the jellied meat, you need parts of carcasses with high collagen content: hooves, tails, ears, wings, paws, and knuckles. There is little muscle tissue on these parts, so you can make a dish nutritious by fillet or tenderloin. The proportion of the bone part and the meat part should be 1:2 to make the jelly solidify.
3. A quality dish is obtained only from fresh products. Frozen should be avoided.
4. Soaking the meat will remove any residual blood from the tissues. Duration - from 3 to 12 hours.
5. After boiling, the first water should be removed to make the finished chłodecks attractive and transparent in appearance, as well as to reduce their caloric content. The pan should be placed under a stream of water, and the meat parts should be thoroughly rinsed.
6. The transparency of the dish will be affected by the addition of water, as well as frequent stirring during cooking. You should not add too much liquid. The fire should be at a minimum level.
7. Cooking a rich broth for chłodnik takes at least 5, and sometimes lasts up to 10 hours.
8. You can salt the broth at the final stage of cooking, otherwise the salt will prevent the liquid from getting collagen. Salt is added in a larger amount than for the first course.
9. Competent choice of seasonings and vegetables. An hour before the broth is ready, you can add vegetables and seasonings to taste. Usually use carrots, onions, for flavor add celery or parsley. Popular spices are bay leaf, dill and pepper.
10. Accelerate the cooking process by using a pressure cooker, in which the broth will boil in just one hour.
11. To avoid a greasy layer on the dish, you can remove it from the surface of the broth. The easiest way to do this is to refrigerate the liquid.
12. The boiled meat should be shredded and the liquid should be strained before it is distributed to the molds. Skins and cartilage can also be added to the chłodeche to increase its density.
13. Garlic is added to the dish at the stage of pouring into the forms. To distribute it evenly over the meat, you can use a garlic crusher.
14. To decorate the dish, slices of carrot, chopped green onion feathers, boiled eggs, salted cucumber or lemon slices can be placed in the broth.
15. To solidify the chłodtsu it is necessary to choose the right temperature regime. At room temperature the liquid will not solidify, but in the cold it will turn into a solid substance. The ideal conditions for placing the containers are the refrigerator shelf. Each mold should be covered with a lid or cutting board. After five hours, you can take out the finished chłodeche.
16. You can leave a small amount of fat on the surface to prevent the finished product from getting stale.

Adhering to the listed recommendations, it is possible to serve a flawless dish to the table the first time.

How to cook the perfect chłodeche: recipes

There are many variations of chłodeche, but the most common are considered dishes on pork, chicken and beef broth. The most popular recipes will be considered below.

From pork

Ingredients:

• pork knuckle - 1.5 kg;
• carrots - 2 pcs;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• onion - 2 pcs;
• bay leaf;
• salt;
• pea pepper.

Stages of cooking the dish:

1. Place the meat in a pot, add water and bring to a boil.
2. Change the water by rinsing the knuckle under cold water.
3. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, leave under the lid for several hours.
4. After 5 hours, put the onions and carrots in the pot.
5. At the end of cooking, salt the broth and add spices.
6. Divide the boiled meat into small pieces and place in the forms.
7. Add chopped garlic and sliced carrots to the mixture.
8. Pour a small amount of broth into each mold.
9. When it has cooled, place in the refrigerator for a few hours until stiff.

From Beef

Ingredients:

• 2 kg of meat on the bone;
• 1 medium carrot;
• 4 small onions;
• salt to taste;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 5 pcs. black pepper in peas;
• 6 garlic cloves;
• 3,5 l. water.

Steps of cooking the dish:

1. Place the meat in a large saucepan, add water, put on the fire.
2. After boiling, change the water by rinsing the pot and the beef. Return it to the fire.
3. Prepare the vegetables: peel and rinse garlic and onion.
4. Remove the foam from the broth and add salt, garlic and onions. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.
5. Prepare the carrots: peel, wash, cut into small slices and place in the pot. Send the bay seasoning and pre-prepared black pepper to the pot.
6. Take out the onion and garlic and leave the broth on the same heat for an hour under a lid.
7. Finished meat to separate from the bone (cut into small cubes).
8. Strain the liquid through gauze.
9. Spread meat into forms, garnish with carrots.

When the broth cools down, put the forms in the fridge for 10-12 hours under a lid or cling film.

From the chicken

Ingredients:

• chicken skeleton - 1/2 kg;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• gelatin - 1 table spoon;
• carrots - 2 pcs;
• water - 2 liters;
• salt;
• ground pepper.

Stages of cooking the dish:

1. Chicken carcass is thoroughly washed, cut into small pieces and placed in a container for cooking. Add water to the pot and put it on the stove. When the broth boils, drain it, and rinse the chicken parts. Add cold water and bring to the boil over high heat. To make the broth transparent, it is important to remove the foam from the surface as it boils. After boiling, salt the contents of the pot and continue to cook for 20 minutes over low heat.
2. Place washed carrots in their peel in the pot for half an hour.
3. At the end of the boil, remove the carrots and chickens from the pot.
4. Pass the liquid through a strainer, or better through gauze. In a small amount of broth dissolve gelatin and leave until it swells.
5. Finely chop garlic and add it to the main broth. Pepper it.
6. Remove the skin from the carrots, and then cut the vegetable into circles for decoration (any other form of cutting will do).
7. Strain the liquid with the gelatin and add to the pot with the main broth.
8. Separate meat from bones, cut into small pieces.
9. Place in a form with a lid, distribute carrots on the surface, evenly pour the chłodeche.
10. Remove the container, precovered with a lid, in the refrigerator or a cool place until solidified.

Without gelatin

Ingredients:

• chicken carcass - 1 kg;
• bay leaf;
• half a carrot;
• Pepper - 2 pcs;
• salt;
• half an onion;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• black pepper.

Stages:

1. Wash the chicken carcass and place in a large container. Pour 2 liters of water and set the pan on the burner. Remove the foam formed on the surface or change the water. This step is important to get a clear broth.
2. Cover the pot with a lid, turn the burner to minimum and let the stock cook for a few hours.
3. Remove the skin from carrots and peels from onions. Thoroughly rinse the vegetables.
4. After three hours, place the vegetables in a bowl with the chicken carcass.
5. Add a little salt and unpeeled garlic to the pot.
6. Cook for half an hour.
7. Place bay seasoning and black pepper in the pot.
8. At the end of the stage remove the container from the heat, put the chicken meat on a plate.
9. Separate the meat pieces from the bones and finely chop.
10. Strain the liquid from the pot in any way.
11. Cut carrots into circles, slices or hearts.
12. Place the sliced meat in a container for the chłodnik, fill the container with broth and garnish with slices of carrot.
13. Put the dish in a cool place overnight or in the refrigerator for 5 hours until it hardens.

How long does it set?

The freezing time depends on the type of meat used, the amount of water and the presence of gelling agents. In some cases, 3 hours is enough to get a complete dish, ready to serve. Other options require a long solidification in low temperature conditions.

In the refrigerator without gelatin

Difficulties in the preparation of chłodnik can arise for the following reasons:

• Improperly selected composition;
• violation of the proportions of liquid and meat;
• lack of time or too high temperature during cooking.

The time rate of hardening of jellied meat directly depends on the above-mentioned points. The process takes from 6 to 12 hours, depending on the ingredients, proportions and cooking time. For example, pork hoof jelly will solidify faster than chicken leg broth. The more in the composition of meat ingredients tendons and cartilage, the faster the dish solidifies.

With Gelatin

The hardening time of jelly on gelatin also affect the above factors, but the determining factor is the amount of gelling agent.

Forms with the mixture can be placed in the refrigerator. The freezing time at a lower temperature will be about 3 hours. At room temperature, the jello with gelatin will solidify in 10-12 hours.

Chłodec is a delicious and nutritious dish, the regular use of which will strengthen bone and cartilage tissue, enhance the shine of hair, and improve the quality of the nails. Pork jelly with horseradish is an indispensable dish for a holiday feast, but it is not suitable for regular consumption, as it contains a high percentage of fat. To be able to eat your favorite dish regularly, it is better to replace pork with beef or chicken. Because of the low carbohydrate and fat content, beef and chicken cold cuts can be included in the diet when losing weight.

Photo of the perfect chłodnik