When you're making stock or simmering meat in water,

[no_hypocrisy]

and you skim off the foam that floats to the top, what is that? Is it fat that's melted? Always wondered . . . . .

[captain queeg]

1. It's what trump uses in his hair

Sorry, I don’t really know

[mercuryblues]

2. DUzy +1

I really needed that laugh

[SheltieLover]

3. HA HA HA!

Good one!

[no_hypocrisy]

4. You may be on to something. Googled and came up with

it's called "Scum."

I'm serious.

Here's the link: https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-skim-off-the-scum-and-fat-from-soups-and-stocks/#:~:text=When%20the%20soup%2Fstock%20is,continue%20to%20scoop%20the%20scum.

[mercuryblues]

5. I found a few different answers

The foaming effect is caused by the water-soluble proteins and may be especially noticeable when cooking a product like corned beef or pastrami that is "enhanced" with a spiced or flavored solution.

"During cooking at high heat, some of that water comes back out of the meat and with the water is a small amount of sarcoplasmic protein. At high temperatures that protein denatures and assumes a foamy, frothy appearance," Sindelar explains.

https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/ask/curiosities/curiosities-when-boiling-meat-what-causes-foam-on-liquid/article_dcba823c-7296-11e0-bc10-001cc4c03286.html

Some people say that it has impurities that have collected in the marrow and other parts from being raised. I am inclined to believe this to a degree because when I use an organic chicken as opposed to a factory raised, I have less (if any) foam.

The one thing cooks agree on is that skimming it is up to you. The foam will make the broth cloudy, so if you are using it for a consommé it is best to skim. Others have indicated they can taste the difference between skimmed and unskimmed broth and those with sensitive stomach/digestive issues suggest skimming.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Thank you. One more imponderable put to bed.

[mercuryblues]

10. No, Thank you

I have always wondered what it was and why it didn't happen with every chicken. Your question reminded me to google it. I've always skimmed it for no other reason than it looks gross. I'll keep on skimming.

[packman]

7. I was taught to ALWAYS skim that foam off -

that it somehow influenced the taste of the dish. Making chicken soup or boiling a chicken for any dish seems to produce quite a bit of the foam , told it was from the blood in the marrow of the bones and would make the broth "muddy".

[procon]

8. If I remember rightly, the foamy stuff is properly called scum

No... Really, it's scum which comes from the breakdown of the meat proteins as it cooks. With no flavor it's relatively harmless, but looks nasty so if you're making an effort to cook a pot of stock take the extra step to slim off the scum to create a clear stock. Otherwise, left on its own the scum will deteriorate back into your stock leaving it cloudy and visually unappealing on its own, but still perfectly edible and unnoticed if your stock is the base of a hearty soup, stew or other recipe.

[Sneederbunk]

9. Prepare to skim Nov 3.

[Kali]

11. its just proteins

if you need clear stock skim it, if not don't worry about it