If You Had a Gas Stove.....

[Metasequoia]

...and wanted to make a massive pot of bone broth, what would you do?

I've been making my stocks in my slow cooker, but it's only 6 qts. I end up having to make stock at least twice a week. I get about 12-14 cups of stock from each batch.

I'd like to invest in a HUGE stock pot & I like to let it simmer for at least 24 hours. We live with my parents & I don't think they'd be cool with me leaving the stove on all night long.

WWYD?

I've thought of an electric hot plate - has anyone used one before for stock?

[karne]

OK, I have gas, and this is how I do it, for example with beef bones. I roast up a big batch, usually in two pans in the oven, with garlic, carrots, celery. Then I put all into a very large stockpot with water to cover, and a little vinegar. Set it on my low, "simmer" burner for a few hours to much of the day, depending upon my availability. This is usually plenty of time. Do you need to simmer for 24 hours?

[tabitha]

i use a gas stove and dont leave it on all night. i simply turn it off for the night with the lid, and turn it on first thing in the morning.

[dogmom327]

I leave mine on all night : It's on simmer and we've never had a problem. I feel like I'm wasting a lot of energy but then again, I can make 6-7 quarts at a time (I think my stock pot is 9 quarts) and it's enough to last me at least two weeks. I can't imagine it's costing me as much as buying organic chicken or beef stock--my gas bill hasn't gone up.

[tabitha]

i think people arent concerned about wasting energy, but about the flame getting put out and then the kitchen exploding.

[tanyalynn]

I put mine in the oven after I'm done with the skimming. But the oven is electric, I've never used (or even seen) a gas oven, so I don't know if there are any problems with using it in this way.

[blueridgewoman]

I leave mine on for three days. I put it on the back burner and make sure there's nothing else on the stove. And I also don't leave the house when it's on.

[Metasequoia]

Yea, my oven's gas too - good idea though...

Yep, I simmer anywhere from 24-48 hours, it's usually longer just because I'm lazy & don't feel like straining it.

So does anyone know anything about an electric hot plate?

[tanyalynn]

i think people arent concerned about wasting energy, but about the flame getting put out and then the kitchen exploding.

That's what I was supposed to be scared of? I feel sort of ignorant--I left stock on my stovetop once overnight (old house, gas stovetop) and all I worried about was something flammable shifting around in the kitchen (piece of paper, dish towel, like that) and ending up near the flame and burning the house down. Yikes, explosions never occurred to me. That would rule out a gas oven as well.

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez

That's what I was supposed to be scared of? I feel sort of ignorant--I left stock on my stovetop once overnight (old house, gas stovetop) and all I worried about was something flammable shifting around in the kitchen (piece of paper, dish towel, like that) and ending up near the flame and burning the house down. Yikes, explosions never occurred to me. That would rule out a gas oven as well.

I had the same thoughts but didn't consider an explosion. Maybe I do need a very big crock pot for my birthday

[Metasequoia]

So I was sitting here, reading responses, thinking, yea, it sounds kinda risky...leaving the gas stove on all night...when I smelled somthing, I thought, "what is that smell? is somebody smoking?" "Oh sh*t! my lentils!!" :

I'll take that as a sign not to neglect anything on the stove. At least not with my mommy brain.

[savithny]

What about multiple 5-6 quart crocks in a 350 oven? That's essentially the same as a crockpot, and you could use dutch ovens, casserole dishes, what have you....

[Brookesmom]

I just do the 12 hour compromise-- Start the stock first thing in the morning and turn it off a couple hours before bed so it can cool in smaller containers and be put away right before bedtime. Still pretty tasty and healthy and longer than most recipes call for nowadays.

-Kelly

[sunnygir1]

I cook mine all night or turn it off for the night and leave it on the stove as pps have said. I guess it depends on my level of paranoia that evening. If I leave the stove on all night, I usually leave the exhaust fan on too. I don't know if that would save us from an explosion or not. Anyway, we're still alive. How much of a fire hazard is it really?

I have heard that electric hotplates should be unplugged when left unattended because they are a fire hazard. I have worked at two places where that was on the list of closing activities. I don't know if they are really dangerous or not.

[Ruthla]

Could you make it in the oven instead of on top of the stove?

How about getting a 2nd crock pot and making stock in both at once?

[artemis33]

I have a gas stove and only do bone broth in the slow cooker. Now this has issues of its own with potential lead in the glaze and all, but at least I don't have to worry about hte flame!

I've had pots of food simmering on the stove top, had them boil over and extinguish the flame!!!!, and noticed it pretty quickly luckily. I don't want to take the risk overnight!~

[MilkTrance]

I have a gas stove and I would not leave it overnight. Just my own little paranoia. I would use a hot plate or crock pot type deal.

[cristeen]

I've done both, leaving it on a low flame over night, and turning it off right before bed and back on first thing in the morning. Ultimately it's about what you're comfortable with.

If you wanted to do it in the oven though, I could probably fit 3 large soup pots in my oven, and set it to about 275-300 and just let it go.

[tboroson]

Dude, you have a turkey roaster. That thing is a giant crock pot. I've done two turkeys worth of stock in mine already.

[tboroson]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

So does anyone know anything about an electric hot plate?

Cheap heat-generating appliances are scary. I would sooner leave your gas stove on unattended than one of those things. You've heard my story of the spontaneously combusting toaster oven.

Oh, another idea: Get a big cooler and put a couple layers of towels on the bottom. Take your hot pot from the stove and put it in there, then stuff more towels and blankets around it and on top. It should stay hot for quite a few hours. You could run the probe to a remote thermometer into it to keep track of the temp for reference