2009.02.27
Throw me a bone - I'll make broth
www.cbef.com
I think it was Mark Bittman of the New York Times who recently said that canned broth was OUT and homemade broth is IN. Lots of people probably read that and thought, "That's easy for you to say, Bittman. You don't have three kids, two jobs and zero time for cooking."
Well, maybe he does have three kids, I don't know. But I do know that the thought of making your own broth can seem daunting to those who have not folded it in to their normal cooking routine. It can be done, though. I've been doing it with chicken broth for a couple of years now. I simply roast a chicken, then when the carcass is almost picked clean, I toss it in a pot of water with some onion, carrot, celery, a little bay, salt and pepper. It simmers quietly on its own for a few hours while I do other things, then voila! I strain, package and freeze it.
But beef broth, I'll admit, is not so easy. You need some good beef bones, preferrably with a little meat still clinging to them and some good marrow inside. And I just never end up having leftover beef bones because I never find myself buying a bone-in roast or anything like that. When I called up a local grocery store meat department, I was told that hardly any bone-in beef cuts even come in to them anymore. What they get in is all boneless. They do get in "soup bones," however, which they then cut up and package as such.
You can buy those soup bones to make your own beef broth. Add in the onion, carrot, celery (even the green tops you may not normally use) and herbs of your liking. Gently simmer for several hours and then strain it all off. One butcher I talked with said he just uses bone-in short ribs for broth. He eats the meat that falls off, then puts the broth in the refrigerator overnight and skims off the fat on top before proceeding to either use the broth or freeze it.
For a nice, detailed explanation of how to make beef broth, check out this recipe on Simply Recipes. She recommends actually roasting the bones before making broth to impart more flavor. Do you have any additional tips on broth making?
I've never made beef broth either. I'll have to try it. When making chicken broth, organic chicken is the best, more flavor and less fat. I just wish they weren't so darn expensive.
Comment by Debbie — February 27, 2009 @ 12:26 pm
A crock pot is the BEST way to make broth (IMHO). Just chuck the junk in, turn it on and let it go. THEN strain and freeze. No pot to watch or timer to worry with.
Comment by Susan — February 27, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
I only make vegetarian stock, which is much easier than making meaty stocks, but it's definitely worth it in terms of taste and expense.
I like to just add some onions with a few layers of skin still attached, unpeeled carrots, garlic, and celery to a pot with some olive oil and saute them a little before adding the water. Then I add herbs, peppercorns, and whatever vegetable scraps I have (I save them in a bag in the freezer and take them out when I make stock.)
It's also nice to vary the seasonings based on what you plan to cook--seaweed can be nice for chowders, mushrooms for earthy soups, lemongrass for Thai cooking, etc.
Comment by Emma — February 27, 2009 @ 1:11 pm
Those are some great tips on vegetable stock, Emma. I was hoping that somebody would chime in on that one.
Susan, good idea on the slow cooker.
I also see lots of recipes that call for veal stock.
Comment by lindseynair — February 27, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
If you're interested in making veal stock, please check this out.
17 Quarts Of Love In MY Freezer
Comment by Chris Berry — February 27, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
I don't buy a lot of bone-in meat but I will have to try that vegetable stock!
Comment by Michelle — February 28, 2009 @ 10:35 am
Would any of the local independent butchers have bones left over from their cuttings? Might also try one of the local ethnic meat markets. (I know one local to me gets the whole side-o-beef. Unfortunately, the way I know was that I saw one sitting at the end of an unattended box truck walking back from lunch one hot summer day. Yum.)
Comment by Ed S. — February 28, 2009 @ 11:17 am
Ed, I'd be willing to bet that if you went to a place like O'Brien's meats in Salem or another butcher listed in the Yellow Pages, they might have some good broth bones. I don't know if they would charge ya for them or not... have to check into that.
Comment by lindseynair — February 28, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
Good golly, Chris. I had no idea it was THAT lengthy of a process. But what a well-written, detailed guide you have there. I was particularly interested in your talk of the cartiledge on the knuckle lending more gelatin to the broth. I think that can translate somewhat to using other kinds of bones...head cheese is very gilatinous, lots of cartiledge in the head of a pig. Chicken broth is even somewhat so.
Anyhoo, next time I see a recipe that calls for veal stock, I might just be calling you and doing a little sweet talking. hahaha!!
Comment by lindseynair — February 28, 2009 @ 2:05 pm