Making bone broth... need help!

[Chloe'sMama]

Ok, you may remember me from the 'Vegetarian considering bone broth' thread... well here I am. I have 2.5 lbs of neck bones with quite a bit of meat on it (Got grass fed, organic and local beef). We are slowly tiptoeing into this, so I need a recipe that is pretty easy and will taste good.

I checked briefly through past threads and didn't notice anything, so am trying to get some direction from you folks.

thanks so much!

[Smokering]

I'd brown the bones in the oven, then just chuck them in a big pot of water with a splash of vinegar and some egg shells if you have 'em. Simmer away gently for 36 hours or so. (A crockpot works well). In the last hour or so of cooking you could add veggie scraps, salt, herbs and so on if you wanted.

It's not an exact science; don't worry. Water and bones are the main components.

[MamaMamaMama!]

I saute my veggies and add them at the beginning along with the bones for the best taste (onions and celery are key IMHO). I strain everything out at the end so you lose your veggies but by the time you're done with them they are tasteless anyway. I personally found I don't care for the sourness of the vinegar so I leave it out and still get a nice gel as long as I simmer it for 12-24 hours (I've never done more than 24).

The nice thing about bone broth is that you can change around the exact ingredients and still get good stuff. For the experiments I've done that don't turn out the greatest you can always use the broth instead of water in making pasta or rice so it never goes to waste.

[Shakti77]

that's pretty much what I do.. .broil the bones in the oven, put the bones in the crock pot, add 1/2-1 cup of acv, throw in 1-2 onion peels, a few pepper corns, a bayleaf, 1 tsp seasalt and fill it water and lave in ON on low for 10 hrs, then high on 6 hrs.. sometimes I add in half a tsp of celery salt.

[Chloe'sMama]

what about the meat that is on the bone. Do I just toss that with the veggies after I strain it?

[CartersMomma]

Can I jump in here and ask about browning/broiling the bones in the oven first? How long do you do this and at what temp? I have a bunch of soup bones in the freezer that I'm anxious to make into broth. I've heard it's tastes better if you bake them first and then make broth. Thanks! Looking forward to another new project

[motherbirth]

Originally Posted by CartersMomma

Can I jump in here and ask about browning/broiling the bones in the oven first? How long do you do this and at what temp? I have a bunch of soup bones in the freezer that I'm anxious to make into broth. I've heard it's tastes better if you bake them first and then make broth. Thanks! Looking forward to another new project

I brown them at 350-400 for about 30 mins to an hour. The bits of meat on the bone should be brown, the fat should be melted. I also brown the veggies with because the broth comes out browner and nicer (onion, carrot, celery). Pour off the fat and save in the fridge for frying in. It makes for great refried beans.

[sunnysandiegan]

When I make a beef bone broth, I use red wine vinegar as my acid. It adds a nice flavor. When I make a chicken bone broth, I use an entire homegrown lemon's worth of juice. Yummy! My broths turn out gelatinous and yummy.

[CartersMomma]

Thanks for the tips, I really appreciate it! I have chicken stock going now and it just makes me happy Beef broth will be next!!

[FairyRae]

Here is an alternate way to make bone broth in a pressure cooker (in around 1.5-2 hours). My broth comes out much better since utilizing this method. It would make Sally Fallon's toes curl, and is certainly controversial, but just wanted to throw it out here!

http://everythingfreeeating.blogspot...hy-bother.html

[onetrumpeter]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

Here is an alternate way to make bone broth in a pressure cooker (in around 1.5-2 hours). My broth comes out much better since utilizing this method. It would make Sally Fallon's toes curl, and is certainly controversial, but just wanted to throw it out here!

http://everythingfreeeating.blogspot...hy-bother.html

hmmm... good to know your broth turns out well this way. My mom gave me a pressure cooker a few years ago (non stick coated ) and I've sort of figured it wasn't going to get any use now, but maybe I'll re-think that. Thanks for sharing the link!

[FairyRae]

Ahhh! Non-stick coated--I'd only use it in a real pinch! That stuff (teflon I believe?) freaks me out!

Mine is little, but it's stainless steel, so I feel *better* about using it instead of the usually recommended 24+ hour method...

[Cupressa]

Originally Posted by Chloe'sMama

what about the meat that is on the bone. Do I just toss that with the veggies after I strain it?

A friend taught me a way to make broth that I really like. I don't brown the bones. I just put them directly into the pot, and soak them in vinegar water. I bring it to a boil very slowly, and boil it very, very gently.

After I skim it, the meat is usually cooked just right. I take the bones with meat out of the pot and pick the meat off and put it away, and put the bones back in. If using vegetables, I take those out too. Then put the bones back, and simmer for a long time.

Preventing the broth from boiling rapidly is important (for this method). It keeps the broth clearer and the flavor is better, I think. It preserves the quality of the fat, if you use that part. If broth is boiled to much, the fat seems to me to lose its flavor or go rancid (in the case of poultry or fish stock).

After straining, the meat and vegetables can be added to some of the broth for a delicious soup, and none of it goes to waste.

[onetrumpeter]

Originally Posted by Cupressa

Preventing the broth from boiling rapidly is important (for this method). It keeps the broth clearer and the flavor is better, I think. It preserves the quality of the fat, if you use that part. If broth is boiled to much, the fat seems to me to lose its flavor or go rancid (in the case of poultry or fish stock).


After straining, the meat and vegetables can be added to some of the broth for a delicious soup, and none of it goes to waste.

Interesting that you find you get a clearer broth w/ a gentler boil. I've definitely had some cloudy results recently - maybe I need to make sure the heat stays nice and low (although I actually think I did that?!).

I'm wondering about several "options" in broth making:

- vinegar/acid: do you notice a more gelatinous broth w/ it? or any other noticeable improvements? I've used vinegar haphazardly, as in tossing some in once in a while! but not noticed anything

- skimming: I know S. Fallon calls for it - when exactly (if you do it) do you skim? It seems like there's *always* something that could be skimmed off the top - how discrminating are you?

- time: can it boil "too long"? I never seem to worry about not enough time, cuz I'll just turn it way down and let it keep going if I'm not ready to strain and cool it

- veggies for flavor (and obviously nutrition): does it make much of a difference if you're going to use the broth for soup later, and planning to add the veggies later? I hate the thought of losing the veggies (though I'm sure most of their value is imparted in the slow cooking) and would rather make sure they're fully consumed in a soup later on...

I think there were some other things I was wondering about, but those are some of my current ponderings.

[sunnysandiegan]

For your veggies question, we use the "discards" in veggie prep for bone broth. Chop a carrot top and end off? Toss those into the freezer bag of veggies. Peeling potatoes for whipped potatoes (only time we peel them)? Toss the peelings into the freezer bag of veggie parts. We use all these sorts of pieces/parts of veggies for our bone broth and strain them out when we strain the bones out.

[Cupressa]

Originally Posted by onetrumpeter

Interesting that you find you get a clearer broth w/ a gentler boil. I've definitely had some cloudy results recently - maybe I need to make sure the heat stays nice and low (although I actually think I did that?!).

I'm wondering about several "options" in broth making:

- vinegar/acid: do you notice a more gelatinous broth w/ it? or any other noticeable improvements? I've used vinegar haphazardly, as in tossing some in once in a while! but not noticed anything

- skimming: I know S. Fallon calls for it - when exactly (if you do it) do you skim? It seems like there's *always* something that could be skimmed off the top - how discrminating are you?

- time: can it boil "too long"? I never seem to worry about not enough time, cuz I'll just turn it way down and let it keep going if I'm not ready to strain and cool it

- veggies for flavor (and obviously nutrition): does it make much of a difference if you're going to use the broth for soup later, and planning to add the veggies later? I hate the thought of losing the veggies (though I'm sure most of their value is imparted in the slow cooking) and would rather make sure they're fully consumed in a soup later on...

I think there were some other things I was wondering about, but those are some of my current ponderings.

- Vinegar/acid is used to extract calcium from the bones, and probably for flavor. I don't think it makes a huge difference, due to the small amount of vinegar and short soaking time.

- Skimming: the broth usually starts to foam when it starts to boil, and continues for a little while. I just get all the foam I can. There is some congealed blood that swirls around, and I get some of it, but most gets strained out at the end.

- Time: yes, it's possible to cook it too long. The gelatin actually starts to break down if boiled too long. I don't know of any nutritional drawbacks to that, but I like more gelatinous broth. Also, the fat can go rancid if cooked too long, especially unsaturated fats in chicken & fish. I actually cook mine a bit less than recommended in NT.

- I don't think it makes a difference if you take the veggies out early, or add them after you've strained it to make a soup. I always use them, they are very tasty cooked in broth.