Too many bones and no dog to feed? A turkey carcass that looks butchered? Waste not, my dear. Practice the secret of gourmet chefs everywhere. Making stock or bone broth is an ideal way to extract nutrients and flavour from asparagus roots, beef bones and the parts of broccoli that people just don’t want to eat. You can do stocks of vegetables, with meat or fish, and they are very simple.
How to Make a Healthy Stock or Bone Broth
As you cook, throw 2 onions (just cut them in half – no need to chop), a few cloves of garlic, whatever bones you may have (retained turkey necks are wonderful for this), 2 carrots (no need to peel), 2 stalks of celery, and whatever other veggies that you have in the fridge. Again, you can also add in the potato water after you’ve boiled your mashed potatoes – again, filled with nutrients. Simmer on the stove for an hour. Strain, throwing away the bones and vegetables and retaining the liquid. Season with salt and pepper.
Types of Stock (Bone Broth)
There are several schools of thought, and every chef has an opinion! In restaurants there is always a big pot boiling and as dishes are made, veggie scraps and bones are thrown in. Often a kitchen will make a ‘first stock’ with the freshest ingredients, and then a ‘second stock’, reusing the bones a second time. It has a weaker flavour, but still adds more to a rice than plain water. You can roast the bones beforehand, or use them raw. Additionally, a fish or shellfish stock can be made with shells from lobster or clams.
What do you use Stock and Bone Broth For?
I make all rice with it, and always have a ton in the freezer or fridge for boiling down as the base for sauces. My family is not into soups, but typically this would be used as your base for a good butternut squash or chicken soup. Thomas Keller is a master of stocks, and his Onion Soup recipe is amazing.
Storing Homemade Stock
Stock can be frozen in ice cube trays, ziplock bags, or reusable containers. For a more developed flavour, you can roast the bones in the oven prior to throwing them into the stock pot. Bon Appetit!
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It sounds so easy as you write it. OK, the stock is made, now what do I do?? So sorry to be such a war baby…but look at how I am trying to learn…..
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[…] We use the stock for soups, risotto, sauces and instead of water when making rice. Here are some guidelines for how to do it, but generally throw carrot, onion, garlic and celery in a pot of boiling water […]