I made broth/soup from chicken back. At first it smelled nice and tasted nice(like normal chicken soup). I added some vegetables as well. After approximately 6 days(I added more chicken back, I didn't drink the broth, so I didn't add water to it), it became darker and developed a strange smell and taste. its not disgusting but it definitely changed. I have different theories:
- i didn't do it right and some kind of pathogens grew in it(I'm using a tefal versalio 7 in 1 with 80 or 85 Celsius settings, so it's not a proper slow cooker, but it can keep food at some approximate temperature). I didn't bring it to boiling temperature once every day. (Maybe I should have, I don't know if it's something recommended or something that is necessary.)
- it is different because chicken back bones released a lot of minerals(the bones in it became easy to break so they lost some kind of minerals that's for sure).
- it is because its the previously used vegetables in it. (my main suspect is kohlrabi) .
- It is some kind of Maillard reaction happening in the water.
It is a little bit frustrating because it happened the second time, it developed the same sour smell and at that point I decided to start from scratch again.
My question is: is it safe to eat? what is the reason of this? (English is not my first language, so sorry about that)
It looks like you're asking about Food Safety.
Only you are aware of all the factors involved in this situation. No one in this subreddit is qualified to give you advice about eating food that's left unattended, undercooked, etc. "If in doubt, toss it out." Food poisoning is a serious issue - it's particularly dangerous to older adults, children, pregnant women or people with compromised immune systems.
Here are some resources available to you to determine whether it would be safe or not to consume your meal:
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
If it smells sour, I would not eat it, even if the meat still tastes ok. At 80 to 85C you are in a risky zone where some bacteria can survive and ferment over time, especially if it never gets brought to a full boil. Bones releasing minerals or Maillard reactions will not make a broth smell sour. That change is almost certainly microbial activity, often lactic acid bacteria, which explains why it is not rotten smelling but still off. Traditional perpetual stews only work when they are boiled regularly and kept hot enough continuously. Starting over was the right call here, frustrating as it is.
Im thinking its the spine of the chicken causing this but thats just a guess.