Bones, glorious soup bones.

I don't know how big their selection is but try to get a variety because different bones have subtly different flavors.

If you want a slightly gelatinous and smooth soup, get the knuckle. It smells and tastes divine.

Any bones will do really. Marrow bones are fun because then you can suck the marrow out (yum).

If you have time, roast the bones before making your stock. It makes the stock deeper and richer.


What time do you want me over for dinner?

that caters to Latinos and they've tried here twice now. But until their plan is in cement, I bet I can go in there and ask for just about anything. When I asked the Safeway butcher to crack the ham hock, he looked at me as if I was high. (But what is the point of getting a ham hock if it isn't cracked . . . )

But then I realize what group this is in...

to expose the marrow), veal bones, pork bones, whatever. However, the main bunch of bones you'll need are beef bones. Oh, and a few veggies and a bag of herbs.

Supermarkets only stock meat precut and prepackaged at central meat processing facilities. Some carnicerias might stock bones for stock, but they won't do their own butchering in the back. They also stock organ meats you can't find at the McMarket.

They're also probably a great source for fish heads and tails for making fish stock.

If you want to boost the beef flavor in your beef stock, add some shanks or "stew meat" to the mix. Just get some of the cheapest cuts you can find, and roast it along with the bones.

I don't know if you have seen the veggie stock tip before, but it's been posted several times. I wish I could remember who first posted it so that they could be credited for this idea. She/he suggested saving all your raw veggie and herb scraps, stems, and peels in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Keep adding as you get them. When the bag is full, turn it into stock.

and one I am using.

some vegetable soup. No meat, just vegetables. I started out with equal parts water and crushed tomatoes in the pot and started adding veggies. As I cleaned and trimmed them, I started another pot and threw all the trimmings into there and simmered them in just enough water to cover at the same time. When the soup was done, I strained the scraps out and added the broth to the soup. It was really good and DIL loved it.

For veggies I used garlic, onion, celery, carrots, rutabaga, green beans, parsnips, butternut squash, cabbage, corn, peas, okra, leeks, mushrooms, zuchinni and kidney beans. For seasonings I used bay leaves, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. I thought later that I could have sauteed my garlic, onion and celery in a little oil for starters, but it's a good pot of soup as is.

I love your recipes and cooking wisdom!

Your winters are much too cold to suit me.

(I'd wave back, but I've forgotten where they put the smilies.)

Colon key on keyboard + hi + colon key =

: hi :
No spaces.

How ya doing lately? I ordered a VERY small picnic ham to make split pea soup. Nope, didn't have that, so we got a 15# regular ham. Uffda!

I froze half and baked the other half when we had company this past weekend. Made a big batch of ham & potato soup and I think I'll finish it off with another soup - wild rice and ham. Or broccoli and ham. Haven't decided just yet. Still have that other in the freezer for split pea soup. That's enough soup for awhile, don't ya think?

Actually, winter just stopped in today for a visit. We have had a very warm fall - It was 50 the other day. I just know it's coming though.

for Christmas. The ham was easy to slice, but there wasn't anything left for soup.

Our weather has been really mild so far this season. Temps have been running about 20 degrees above average, which is fine by me. This morning it was 31F and everyone is complaining about it feeling so cold. The wind is supposed to be blowing all day, so I'm glad I don't have to be out in it.

with a celery stalk and leaves, a small unpeeled put chopped onion, a few cloves of whacked garlic, some bay leaves, peppercorns, and a bit of salt. Crockpot stock will give you a very concentrated broth--one suitable for saute without reduction, or a stew with wine. If you do make it into a soup, you may want to thin it with wine or chicken stock, or water.

Veal bones will give you a delicate, very gelatinous stock. This stock is perfect, though, for Italian saute dishes and risotto. Herbes de Provence goes really well with this.

For Beef stock, you really want shin bones.

For lamb stock, take as much fat off as you can, assuming you are using a leftover leg of lamb. Refrigerate overnight, and then scoop off the fat.

Do you want fish stock, or court? For stock, shrimp and lobster shells, and fish bones (avoid oily fish like mackerel and salmon) with lemon or orange peel lightly boiled with a little celery, pepper, bayleaf for about an hour makes a good stock--but salt this VERY carefully. For court, use as little water as necessary, 1/4 lemon, peppercorns, salt, a bay leaf. Or use the stock.

Wish I'd known this years ago. Thanks for the info.



To all, strain everything just for the broth.

a chapter on making your own stock (chicken and beef) and putting it by.

Everytime I cook a turkey I put the carcass in a big pot and boil it for several hours, then use the stock to make white bean soup. Fabulous!

I'm making a big batch of turkey stock right now. Actually, I made it yesterday - started when I was getting the turkey ready to roast Saturday with the neck and the trimmings from the vegetables I put inside the turkey while it roasts and the vegetables for the dressing. Those went in the pot with a bunch of water and simmered all afternoon.

Yesterday hubby cut up the turkey and all the skin and bones went into the pot with the veggies that were inside the carcass and enough water to fill to the top. That simmered all day

This afternoon, I cooled and strained it and got four quarts of stock - far more than I can use or have room for in the freezer. So I was thinking that maybe I need to start canning again.

Looking now on the internet, I guess I will have to get a new pressure canner. My old one walked off after I hadn't used it for decades.

As for my four quarts of stock, it is back in the crock pot, simmering away. I'm trying to reduce it by half - I won't have as much volume and it will be really intense stock! I'm figuring on simmering all night uncovered, turn it off and cool it, then pour into containers, chill then freeze.

But for next year, I may get a new pressure canner so I can process stuff and not have to use electricity to save it. I used to can a lot of stuff, but haven't in years.

At the end of the stock making..after you have removed the bones and any large chunks of veg and meat, add a bit of diced carrot, onion and celery. Let it cook a bit then add two or three lightly whisked egg whites. The egg whites will float to the top of the pot as they cook and with them the rest of any of the nasty yuck that is in the pot.

Honestly, stock is fine without doing this but when you are looking for a beautiful clear broth it is an important step. Besides I think it's kind of fun....Like putting a mask on your face.

I use my chinoise but there is still some stuff that makes it through. I'm going to try this next time I make stock.

There's not much simpler. Cut the parsnips and beet into chunks and put them in a crock pot for about 12 hours. Mash them up a bit, add more water if needed, and drop in some quinoa (careful, it expands). Let it go a while longer on low until the outer rings of the quinoa have separated - add more water as needed. You can either strain it (put the remainder in the compost) or use it whole for a stew. Spice to taste, but only after you've used it to start something else. No sense pre-judging the flavor of the meal with the stock.

in C&B?

lol

roast the bones first. This helps make the stock more gelatinous. Also, adding vinegar (only about 2 tbs. to the whole shebang) helps to pull calcium out of the bones and into the stock.

I live in the hills above the burbs of San Francisco. We don't have anything here, even in parts, that Burger King doesn't serve on wax paper.

There's one in Daly City - they have a lot of unusual-to-most-Americans cuts, and, since they do have live butchers, they may have extra bones on hand or can cut you some pieces to order. If you ever find your self on El Camino in Sunnyvale just off Lawrence there's an enormous Korean supermarket that carries cow feet and leg bones. Mi Pueblo (local chain of Mexican groceries) has a large store in East Palo Alto next to Ikea.

What I like for stock are pigs' feet, which I get either at 99 Ranch or my little neighborhood Mexican grocery. Simmer all day, and you'll get a stock for the best hot and sour soup ever!

I save my leftover meats and especially bones in the freezer. When I have some leftover aeromatic vegetables I throw it all in the pot with some herbs and peppercorns and simmer for several hours. I partition the stock into recipe size and freeze most of it.

Alton Brown did at least one show on making stock which had some good tips.