I recently wrote an article on a greener kitchen. One of the tips I gave was to save the scraps of food you would normally throw away. I save bones, carrot peelings, onion peels and ends, celery ends, carrot stems and tops and parsley stems. They all go into a freezer bag that I add too until I have enough bits and pieces and time to make some nutritious bone broth.
What’s the difference between broth, stock and bone broth? For me, broth is just bones and water, no aromatics. Cooked to make a meaty base. Stock is the bones, water and aromatics like carrots, celery, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. After it’s cooked and strained it can be reduced for a super flavor base.
Bone broth, is the same as stock but designed to extract as much of the collagen and minerals as possible. It does this several ways. First and mostly by using bones that are full of collagen, like chicken feet, knuckles, pig feet, neck bones, etc. If you get large bones, especially knuckle bones have your butcher cut them in half.
Low and slow is the other method. A good bone broth is simmered for up to 24 hours! I have done some pressure cooker methods, but they just done seem as effective. This low and slow methods leaches out all of the collagen. You will be able to tell after refrigeration. The broth shakes like jelly.
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Lastly, a bit of vinegar is added to help release nutritional minerals. Between the vinegar and slow and low simmer you get maximum benefits. Bone Broth can be used just like any other broth or stock. I prefer not to salt mine so I get the most flexibility out of it. If I have a mug of broth I add a pinch of salt before heating it up.
Not essential to nutritional benefits but essential to maximum flavor, I like to roast my bones first. It makes a huge difference in taste and color.
If you would like to read the full article please visit the Great Falls Tribune.
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef, chicken and pork bones, preferably a mix of marrow bones and bones with a little meat on them, such as oxtail, short ribs, or knuckle bones (cut in half by a butcher), chicken feet and pork trotters, hocks or neck bones.
- 2 to 4 cups kitchen scraps of celery, onion, carrots and parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (doesn’t affect flavor, it helps extract the minerals and calcium)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place beef bones and other meat bits like chicken feet or pork trotters on a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Toss the contents of the pan and continue to roast until deeply browned, about 20 minutes more.
- Fill a large (at least 6-quart) stockpot with 12 cups of water (preferably filtered). Add kitchen scraps, bay leaves, peppercorns, and vinegar. Scrape the roasted bones and bits into the pot along with any juices. Add more water if necessary, to cover bones and vegetables.
- Cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook with lid slightly ajar, skimming foam and excess fat occasionally, for at least 8 but up to 24 hours on the stovetop. (Do not leave on stovetop unattended, simply cool and continue simmering the next day.) The longer you simmer it, the better your broth will be. Add more water if necessary, to ensure bones and vegetables are fully submerged. Alternately, you can cook the broth in a slow cooker on low for the same amount of time.
- Strain broth, cool then refrigerate overnight. The following day scrape off any visible fat, portion and freeze.
Yes! I’m so glad there is someone else out there who is teaching the correct way to make broth! I’ve been cooking over 50 years and my mother used to make broth so she taught me. After I married, in 1973, I thought everybody made broth! But finally, we’ve come full circle and folks are learning. Thank you for being one of the teachers..BTW to get the max out of the bones I do this: after roasting, I break the bones open with a hammer so as to extract every little bit of collagen from them. Also instead of ACV I stick a cut in half lemon in my broth. Keep up the good work and all the best of luck to you and yours.
Thanks for tips on breaking the bones after roasting and using cut lemon!