Bone Broth
"Grandmother Knew Best: Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.
Stock or broth begins with bones, some pieces of meat and fat, vegetables and good water. For beef and lamb broth, the meat is browned in a hot oven to form compounds that give flavor and color--the result of a fusion of amino acids with sugars, called the Maillard reaction. Then all goes in the pot--meat, bones, vegetables and water. The water should be cold, because slow heating helps bring out flavors. Add vinegar to the broth to help extract calcium--remember those egg shells you soaked in vinegar until they turned rubbery.
Heat the broth slowly and once the boil begins, reduce heat to its lowest point, so the broth just barely simmers. Scum will rise to the surface. This is a different kind of colloid, one in which larger molecules--impurities, alkaloids, large proteins called lectins--are distributed through a liquid. One of the basic principles of the culinary art is that this effluvium should be carefully removed with a spoon. Otherwise the broth will be ruined by strange flavors. Besides, the stuff looks terrible. "Always Skim" is the first commandment of good cooks.
Two hours simmering is enough to extract flavors and gelatin from fish broth. Larger animals take longer--all day for broth made from chicken, turkey or duck and overnight for beef broth.
Broth should then be strained. The leavings, picked over, can be used for terrines or tacos or casseroles. Perfectionists will want to chill the broth to remove the fat. Stock will keep several days in the refrigerator or may be frozen in plastic containers. Boiled down it concentrates and becomes a jellylike fumée or demi-glaze that can be reconstituted into a sauce by adding water."
Exert taken from Broth is Beautiful by Sally Fallon.
Available from: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-is-beautiful
Stock or broth begins with bones, some pieces of meat and fat, vegetables and good water. For beef and lamb broth, the meat is browned in a hot oven to form compounds that give flavor and color--the result of a fusion of amino acids with sugars, called the Maillard reaction. Then all goes in the pot--meat, bones, vegetables and water. The water should be cold, because slow heating helps bring out flavors. Add vinegar to the broth to help extract calcium--remember those egg shells you soaked in vinegar until they turned rubbery.
Heat the broth slowly and once the boil begins, reduce heat to its lowest point, so the broth just barely simmers. Scum will rise to the surface. This is a different kind of colloid, one in which larger molecules--impurities, alkaloids, large proteins called lectins--are distributed through a liquid. One of the basic principles of the culinary art is that this effluvium should be carefully removed with a spoon. Otherwise the broth will be ruined by strange flavors. Besides, the stuff looks terrible. "Always Skim" is the first commandment of good cooks.
Two hours simmering is enough to extract flavors and gelatin from fish broth. Larger animals take longer--all day for broth made from chicken, turkey or duck and overnight for beef broth.
Broth should then be strained. The leavings, picked over, can be used for terrines or tacos or casseroles. Perfectionists will want to chill the broth to remove the fat. Stock will keep several days in the refrigerator or may be frozen in plastic containers. Boiled down it concentrates and becomes a jellylike fumée or demi-glaze that can be reconstituted into a sauce by adding water."
Exert taken from Broth is Beautiful by Sally Fallon.
Available from: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-is-beautiful
My chicken bone broth
When making a broth for the first time, chicken is the best place to start as the bones are easy to get from the supermarket. I will buy 4 packets of organic chicken wings and/or drumsticks to start with.
If you have histamine intolerance start with a short cooked broth to begin with.
Once you have mastered a chicken broth, try a beef broth using a combination of marrow bones and meaty bones. The flavour is a little more intense, but is a lovely change and makes a hearty vegetable soup that is perfect in winter.
If you have histamine intolerance start with a short cooked broth to begin with.
Once you have mastered a chicken broth, try a beef broth using a combination of marrow bones and meaty bones. The flavour is a little more intense, but is a lovely change and makes a hearty vegetable soup that is perfect in winter.
Photo by Krys Lojek
Either use leftover chicken bones after a roast or alternatively you can purchase chicken wings and/or chicken legs. I buy the best quality bones that I can as bones tend to be a reservoir for impurities that we don't really want.
If I am not home and I am making stock, I will use a slow cooker.
Place chicken bones into pot, cover with filtered water and add a splash of apple cider vinegar.
If I have time, I will add vegetables to pot, which is what ever I have in the fridge that needs using and wont go mushy. Often I will just add an onion chopped in half and a few cloves of unpeeled garlic.
If I am not home and I am making stock, I will use a slow cooker.
Place chicken bones into pot, cover with filtered water and add a splash of apple cider vinegar.
If I have time, I will add vegetables to pot, which is what ever I have in the fridge that needs using and wont go mushy. Often I will just add an onion chopped in half and a few cloves of unpeeled garlic.
Photo by Krys Lojek
Bring pot to a slow boil, then reduce heat to barely simmering from 4 or longer
For short cooked broths strip the meat off the bones and use later. For longer cooked broths the meat is flavourless and I either give to the dog or discard. Store stock in glass jars in fridge for up to 1 week.
I will then use the stock during the week for sauces, cooking rice, making broths which I flavour with vegetable stock and vegetables. Excellent to have before meals or as a snack.
For short cooked broths strip the meat off the bones and use later. For longer cooked broths the meat is flavourless and I either give to the dog or discard. Store stock in glass jars in fridge for up to 1 week.
I will then use the stock during the week for sauces, cooking rice, making broths which I flavour with vegetable stock and vegetables. Excellent to have before meals or as a snack.
Photo by Krys Lojek
This is a stock after 24 hrs in a slow cooker. I just set and forget and after 24hrs I strain the bones and have a beautiful rich gelatinous stock that I keep in the fridge to use in all my cooking. A friend of mine even puts the stock in her porridge during cooking.
Meat broths
Ingredients of Mums Home Made Meat Broths
Allow the stock to cook for a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24 hours (depends on size of bones, chicken less, beef more). The longer the bones brew the better! Remember to keep topping up the water you do not want it to go dry.
Turn off the crockpot and allow the stock to cool slightly.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh metal strainer and throw away all the debris
Place the cooled stock into glass jars for storage in the fridge (for up to a few days) or pour into freezer-safe containers for later use.
When the broth is fully cooled, look for a gelatinous consistency. That means your broth is gelatin-rich! Sometimes a longer or very hot simmer may break down the gelatin and your broth won’t appear gelatinous. Don’t worry the broth is still very mineral rich.
I don’t skim off any of the fat, I heat my broth and drink it warm - this is when I may add some seaweed salt for taste. If you like, you can skim off any fat that has risen to the top and solidified – this is tallow – don’t throw it away use it in your savoury cooking in place of butter or coconut oil.
You can drink stock any time of day, before or after meals, or use it as the base for soups and stews! Perfect in any recipe that calls for broth.
Sourced from: www.changinghabits.com.au
- 2 kg of bones - (beef and lamb knuckle bones or marrow bones, chicken necks or carcass, wild fish)
- 8 litres of filtered water
- A whole bulb of garlic; cloves, separated, peeled and crushed
- 3 TBS apple cider vinegar (organic, unfiltered)
- Place all ingredients in a large crockpot and set the heat to high.
- Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat setting to low.
Allow the stock to cook for a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24 hours (depends on size of bones, chicken less, beef more). The longer the bones brew the better! Remember to keep topping up the water you do not want it to go dry.
Turn off the crockpot and allow the stock to cool slightly.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh metal strainer and throw away all the debris
Place the cooled stock into glass jars for storage in the fridge (for up to a few days) or pour into freezer-safe containers for later use.
When the broth is fully cooled, look for a gelatinous consistency. That means your broth is gelatin-rich! Sometimes a longer or very hot simmer may break down the gelatin and your broth won’t appear gelatinous. Don’t worry the broth is still very mineral rich.
I don’t skim off any of the fat, I heat my broth and drink it warm - this is when I may add some seaweed salt for taste. If you like, you can skim off any fat that has risen to the top and solidified – this is tallow – don’t throw it away use it in your savoury cooking in place of butter or coconut oil.
You can drink stock any time of day, before or after meals, or use it as the base for soups and stews! Perfect in any recipe that calls for broth.
Sourced from: www.changinghabits.com.au