Bone Broth Recipes

[aart]

may be another of those generic terms that mean different things to different people.

Yup. I found tons of different definitions and recipes.....and opinions, of course.
Yes, acid(usually vinegar) will speed and improve(?) the breakdown of the bones.
It's about collagen, which is what makes it gelatinous, so different 'parts'(like chicken feet) can much improve that aspect.
Supposedly, true bone broth will stay viscous at room temperature.
As far as I'm concerned, if you cook those bones down for a few(or many) hours it's bone broth, tasty, and nutritious.<shrugs>

 

[Parront]

Yup. I found tons of different definitions and recipes.....and opinions, of course.
Yes, acid(usually vinegar) will speed and improve(?) the breakdown of the bones.
It's about collagen, which is what makes it gelatinous, so different 'parts'(like chicken feet) can much improve that aspect.
Supposedly, true bone broth will stay viscous at room temperature.
As far as I'm concerned, if you cook those bones down for a few(or many) hours it's bone broth, tasty, and nutritious.<shrugs>

I will have to try cooking it longer, like you do. As long as it doesn't boil dry or gum up the cooker's vent, I want to see how that tastes. That is what I like about this site, not many others around here to compare these methods with. Just people who do not know what to do with great pressure cookers, and give them away!

 

[aart]

I will have to try cooking it longer, like you do. As long as it doesn't boil dry or gum up the cooker's vent, I want to see how that tastes.

Just gotta get the water level and temp right, not so full and hot it's spurting out the vent.

 

[Parront]

Just gotta get the water level and temp right, not so full and hot it's spurting out the vent.

Yes, there is a "fill" line to not go over. I never approach it with anything that could foam up.

 

[Mosey2003]

I almost never get my chicken broth to set up and gel. I used to worry about it, but don't anymore. I read somewhere that something like cooking time and temperatures can make the collagen just not gelatinous, and it's still okay. *shrug* I always use feet.

I typically will bag 5 backs and necks together for the freezer when I'm doing a batch of birds. I also bag up wing tips and other little sundry bits if I buy a pack of wings to make buffalo wings for Mom. My freezer is just lots of little vacuum sealed bags of chicken parts, I swear

I usually just buy a pack of feet. This last time, with the Cornish X broilers, I did save the feet and tried to blanch and peel them and that skin would NOT come off no matter what I did. I dunno what the problem was, but I was tired and irritated and chucked them. It seems like it peels off of older birds' feet much better. They're cheap at the store anyway, and already peeled.

I'm a little more old school with the broth, as I actually boil the parts first to flush the scum out. So I'll get the big stock pot out, throw the backs and such in, cover with water, and bring to a rolling boil. Once it's there, I dump it out in the sink, rinse the parts off, and THEN they go either in the pressure pot or the big electric roaster. The roaster will hold 8 backs, but 7 would be a better fit. Then I add my carrot/celery/onion, a couple bay leaves, a small handful of peppercorns (I got the tricolor on sale, I don't know if it makes much of a difference lol) and generally that's all. If I happen to have some other fresh green herbs around that are on their way out, they can go in too. Cover with water, set on low, and off she goes. I'll usually let it go at least a full day, if not two or three. Basically whenever I feel like dealing with it, I do.

I'm wanting to can it rather than freeze it next time. Wondering if not de-fatting it before canning would be any sort of problem or not. I assume since it's meat-based it needs to be pressure-canned rather than water bath?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I assume since it's meat-based it needs to be pressure-canned rather than water bath?

Yes, pressure canned. The Ball recipe calls for 20 minutes for pints and 25 for quarts.

I de-fat mine so not sure how that would affect canning.

 

[so lucky]

I have read that to get the most benefit from bone broth, it should be slow cooked, not pressure cooked. The high heat of the pressure cooker destroys beneficial enzymes and nutrients that makes bone broth so healthful for us.
I don't have my book in front of me right now, but Weston Price advocates' "Nourishing Traditions" suggest doing it this way. They also suggest to oven roast the bones first (Larger bones like beef bones) before slow cooking. But this is what makes the gawd-awful smell.

 

[Mosey2003]

Bone broth is just a trendy thing. If you use bones, it's bone broth, honestly. Is it better than store bought? Sure. If you're eating a lot of whole birds or other bone-in meat, it's sure cheaper than store bought too. But, I don't think there's anything that magical about it.

I do so much of it now because my mom is on a renal diet, and anywhere I can cut salt, I do. They are just now selling actual salt-free broth in stores, and I'm so glad. We don't eat nearly enough beef to make much stock, and beef stock is what Mom likes to cook with the most. We're swimming in chicken stock though

 

[aart]

Is it better than store bought?

Hells Yes!!
Saw a cooking show(Americas Test Kitchen) that researched and reviewed 'store stocks' ...many(most) had no meat at all in it.

 

[jolenesdad]

Yup. I found tons of different definitions and recipes.....and opinions, of course.
Yes, acid(usually vinegar) will speed and improve(?) the breakdown of the bones.
It's about collagen, which is what makes it gelatinous, so different 'parts'(like chicken feet) can much improve that aspect.
Supposedly, true bone broth will stay viscous at room temperature.
As far as I'm concerned, if you cook those bones down for a few(or many) hours it's bone broth, tasty, and nutritious.<shrugs>

Agreed

Ugh I missed notifications in my own thread. :-/

I think it’s bone broth with or without the vinegar. I get really gelatinous and collagen rich broth from my turkey by simmering for hours without ever using vinegar.

I’m making a batch of chicken right now, without the ACV, and we will see.