Bone Broth
By Jeanie Rose, a.k.a. “Mom”
In the
Beginning…
In
one of my college years I worked as a weekend waitress at
the Grant Grove coffee shop in Kings Canyon National
Park. A much sought after chef spent his winters there,
cooking on the weekends. Sundays the dining room would be
filled with people who had driven long distances for a
meal.
This chef was best known for his soups and sauces. Folks
would open their menus with great relish to see what the
day’s offerings would be. My brother and I both worked
weekends. We delighted in the food as much as the
customers did. I took great pride in serving it. My
brother got his kicks as the chef’s assistant, learning
the secrets of this splendid fare.
The SECRET of great soups and great sauces starts with
great stock, or broth. No way around this one! The canned
stuff won’t do. The cubed stuff won’t do. And guess what?
The secret to this fabulous cooking is also fabulously
nutritious.
Owning the
Process
In
setting up my own household after college, I started
making my own bone broth as soup base. After all, bones
were cheap, cheap and I was just coming out of the
“starving student” class. The scents that filled the
kitchen still make my mouth water just remembering them.
I was young and looked still younger, but I knew that
what I was whipping up with bone broths set me in a class
apart from most homemakers. Guests would ask for the
recipe of this soup or that sauce. I told them the key is
in the stock. Few listened. Such a pity! So I’m telling
you, because I know you are interested enough to try this
for yourself.
Bone Broth:
Try It, You’ll Be Amazed!
From
what I can tell, the bone of any meat you eat makes good
broth. The flavors vary some, of course. You wouldn’t
expect chicken broth to taste like lamb broth or beef
broth. My rule of thumb is: if you like the meat, you’ll
like the broth.
Beef:
You’ll find directions for
browning these bones in oil before putting on for a long,
slow stew. I’ve tried the browning and the not-browning.
For my taste, the browning is not worth the trouble.
Either way you will end up with a rich, savory stock.
Put the bones, browned or not, into a slow cooker set on
low. Cover with your best water. Add a couple splashes of
vinegar to draw the minerals out of the bones. Add a
handful of fresh parsley and a bay leaf. Depending on
what you plan to do with your broth, add a quartered
onion and a couple cloves of garlic or a good dried,
granulated garlic.
I like to put this on to cook in the evening, often after
a meal that has produced these bones. The pot stews
slowly through the night. I turn it off by noon the next
day, allow it to cool a bit, and then use it or store it.
Some sources recommend cooking longer than this. I don’t.
The broth tends to get bitter, a bitterness that I’ve not
been able to tame even with my most creative efforts.
Chicken and
Turkey:
The
best part of a Thanksgiving turkey is the pot of soup
that follows a few days later. After you have harvested
all the meat off the bones, put Mr. Tom’s carcass in a
large stock pot. Unless you’re into cracking bones, a
large pot is required. Cover with water and add a
tablespoon of vinegar.
Save the seasoning for when the broth is done. Some of
the herbs don’t appreciate long, long cooking. Their
flavor is best captured after the stock is finished.
If you are going to leave this pot on the stove to cook
overnight, you need to know your stove. How much water to
do need to put in this pot to insure that it won’t cook
away and burn the bones? The safest method is to start
the stock pot before breakfast and let it simmer slowly
until dinner.
Any Other
Bones:
Use
the same general method no matter what sort of bones you
have. The flavor is different. The method is the same.
What To Do
With Broth
The
possibilities are endless:
1. Season and consume as a hot drink with any meal or as
an energy-giving snack.
2. Use as a base for a vast array of thin or thick soups
and stews.
3. Use as a base for gravies and sauces to go on veggies,
meats, even salads.
4. Braise vegetables in a small amount of stock. Then
consume both the veggies and the cooking liquid.
5. Use as part of the liquid added at the end when stir
frying.
6. Use as the cooking liquid for grains, beans, pasta.
Just be sure to consume the precious liquid in some
fashion.
7. Save it for soup or use it as part of the sauce for
what you just cooked in it.
8. Words come short to describing the difference in
flavor that home made stock can make in your cooking. You
just have to experience it for yourself. And, after
you’ve downed your last delectable spoonful of soup, know
that you’ve built health with the mineral rich broth that
was the base of your soup. You just can’t lose on this
one!
IMPORTANT
DISCLAIMER: Information on
this web site is provided for informational purposes only
and is not intended as a substitute for the advice
provided by your physician or other healthcare
professional. Consult with your physician before making
any changes to your diet.