Eating the stuff used to make stock

[Lizzo]

I made beef stock and the veggies and meat in it look really good. Is it safe to eat?

[Ruthla]

Why wouldn't it be safe to eat?

The only reason I usually don't eat the stuff from stock making is that I usually start out with leftover bones and veggie scraps, and things are pretty overcooked and bland by the time I'm done making stock with them!

[Lizzo]

I have no idea why it wouldn't be, especially if they say eating the marrow afterwards is so yummy. I already ate some. I am just asking to double check.
You know how all the whacky food ideas around make people cautious!
Thanks!

[FiberLover]

If I use whole carrots and celery, I do eat them sometimes.

And I often eat little bits of meat after I pick them from the bones!

But if I'm using more scrap type veggies and bones, chickens get em. (Except bird bones, those get tossed).

[steffanie3]

It is safe, sometimes I eat it if it hasn't cooked too long, or I will take big pieces off after it has cooked a while and save it to go back into soup after finishing cooking the stock.

[spughy]

It's safe but it's usually pretty tasteless. And, as a caution: do not let your dog woofle down all of the stock bits (ie including bones) unless there is only a little bit. Unless you live somewhere without poop pick-up bylaws. Just sayin'.

I do usually salvage marrow if I can, dump a bit of salt on it and eat it on toast. Yum.

[RootBeerFloat]

Originally Posted by spughy

It's safe but it's usually pretty tasteless. And, as a caution: do not let your dog woofle down all of the stock bits (ie including bones) unless there is only a little bit. Unless you live somewhere without poop pick-up bylaws. Just sayin'.

Really? I always run any small bones, leftover meat or fat scraps, and veggies through the food processor and feed it to my dogs. They LOVE it. Actually, so does dd--she eats chicken stock leftovers all the time, I think the mushy leftover bones are really yummy for her.

[cheenya]

Originally Posted by Ally'smom

Really? I always run any small bones, leftover meat or fat scraps, and veggies through the food processor and feed it to my dogs. They LOVE it. Actually, so does dd--she eats chicken stock leftovers all the time, I think the mushy leftover bones are really yummy for her.

Wow, your bones get that soft when you make stock? How long do you usually cook it for?

[steffanie3]

I have wondered about eating the bones, my chicken ones get soft enough I am sure they could be eaten, especially if I food processed them.

[spughy]

Originally Posted by Ally'smom

Really? I always run any small bones, leftover meat or fat scraps, and veggies through the food processor and feed it to my dogs. They LOVE it. Actually, so does dd--she eats chicken stock leftovers all the time, I think the mushy leftover bones are really yummy for her.

Oh, my dog loves it all right. But it makes her poop really weird and slimy. I don't think it's actually bad for her, it's just a big mass of bulk without much nutrition, since all the good stuff's in the broth, so it goes right through her.

And bones go mushy if you put vinegar in the stock - it leaches out the calcium and minerals (a good thing!) making your broth more nutritious, and the bones left in just sort of fall apart.

[steffanie3]

I am just thinking there might be some calcium left in the bones as well. ?

[cheenya]

Originally Posted by spughy

And bones go mushy if you put vinegar in the stock - it leaches out the calcium and minerals (a good thing!) making your broth more nutritious, and the bones left in just sort of fall apart.

So how much vinegar do you use? I've yet to find a level where the stock doesn't taste like vinegar (Which DH can't stand) and yet it turns the bones soft. I suppose I could try following a recipe, but does anyone have suggested proportions?

[spughy]

Originally Posted by cheenya

So how much vinegar do you use? I've yet to find a level where the stock doesn't taste like vinegar (Which DH can't stand) and yet it turns the bones soft. I suppose I could try following a recipe, but does anyone have suggested proportions?

You really don't need very much. I usually put in maybe 1/4 cup at most for a big stock pot? I don't know, I never measure. My stock never tastes like vinegar.

[steffanie3]

I don't measure either, but about 1/4 cup might be right, maybe less. If you put it in at the beginning it cooks out I think, I have put it in later and still could smell it, but I opened the lid and let it simmer a while longer and it didn't taste like vinegar.

[happy_wife_&_mama]

I always wondered this too about the veggies, every recipe for stock always says to throw away the veggies??? I think I saw somewhere though, that you could leave them in and puree them with a hand blender. I don't know what color it will come out, but I'm sure the taste would be fine

[RootBeerFloat]

Originally Posted by cheenya

Wow, your bones get that soft when you make stock? How long do you usually cook it for?

Chicken stock is my biggie, and I usually cook it for 24 hours plus reduction time. I don't use vinegar, I can't stand the smell of it.

[Skrimpy]

I add 1-2 tablespoons of vinger, mine never tastes or smells like it, and cook for around 24 hours and the bones are always very soft.

I use the meat from chicken stock in many different ways. Beef stock I food process the meat and use it in quick beef and veggies soups for lunches.

I usually discard our bones and veggies, as we don't have pets.

[Smokering]

I don't use 'real' veggies in my stock; I use bits and pieces, odds and ends, like the ends of carrots and the root part of onions. So I don't eat 'em; but my chickens love them!