Bones

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Kevin86

Senior Cook
Joined
Dec 2, 2014
Messages
399
Location
Ontario
I use bones in stock all the time mainly I'm a chicken and beef kinda guy. you can make lots of different soups from this base. So I'm wondering with the bean, pea and lentil soups they call for ham bone?

Is there some sort of guide/rule that helps you know wether you should be using chicken, turkey, beef, pork, rabbit, goose, etc and so on.

I know this can also been done with vegi stock so count that as an option but I'm definitely a meat lover by nature.
 
Tradition dictates a lot of the traditional pairings.

Chicken stock is sort of a jack of all trades because the flavor is mild and compliments the other flavors in a dish. Beyond that, your taste will dictate what you use in various recipes.
 
To expand on Andy's answer a bit, some of it depends on which animals were available in a given region and which animals, if any, people were discouraged from eating for religious reasons.
 
Lol fair enough I guess that was kind of silly. I'm going to try to see how many combinations I can muster up.
No, not silly! You don't know until you ask. :chef:

Chicken stock is the go-to in my house, with beef stock making an appearance for dark, hearty gravy or beef roasts.
 
I rarely have any stock on hand other than chicken and sometimes turkey.
I use chicken stock to cook fresh beans and for many other uses like thinning down marinara sauce.

There are times I wish i had some homemade beef stock, but making beef stock is not as easy as chicken and i never see beef stock available in Costco.

So I use chicken stock, water or beer for most every task that requires some liquid.
 
Everyone must take the journey that is making homemade demi at least once. Just so you can appreciate the effort.;)
 
My job slows down in the winter but lots of hours in the summer so thats when I spend my extra to stock up.

I have 1/2 a beef and 25 whole chickens in my chest freezer along with seasonal veg/fruit from the summer when it's best.

We get the butcher to leave extra meat on our soup bones so all my soups come from a good solid base all winter.
 
Has anyone browned their chicken bones (in a hot oven) before making stock? I have a 'recipe' that says to bake them for 20 mins before forming a stock with veg. I would like to know how this compares with just simmering the bones.

I ask because I usually make chicken soup with a stock made from organic chicken bones. However, despite using bones from 2 chickens, I have not found the flavour as good as I expect it to be (and that's after about a 90 mins. simmer!)

Does browning the bones first produce a better flavour (or just changes the colour)?
 
You bet! If I'm going to take the time and effort to make a great stock, I want the most flavor out of it. I'll even roast off the veges as well. The last beef stock I made, has the consistency of jello at room temperature.
 
My job slows down in the winter but lots of hours in the summer so thats when I spend my extra to stock up.

I have 1/2 a beef and 25 whole chickens in my chest freezer along with seasonal veg/fruit from the summer when it's best.

We get the butcher to leave extra meat on our soup bones so all my soups come from a good solid base all winter.
Please post your address so we can come over for dinner.
Just teasing there.
Oh for beans, we typically use water and bacon pieces.
 
Has anyone browned their chicken bones (in a hot oven) before making stock? I have a 'recipe' that says to bake them for 20 mins before forming a stock with veg. I would like to know how this compares with just simmering the bones.

I ask because I usually make chicken soup with a stock made from organic chicken bones. However, despite using bones from 2 chickens, I have not found the flavour as good as I expect it to be (and that's after about a 90 mins. simmer!)

Does browning the bones first produce a better flavour (or just changes the colour)?

It absolutely produces better flavor. The browned caramelized bits are delicious, just like when making a pan sauce from pan-seared meats. Like Craig, I roast the vegetables, too. These pix are from making turkey stock that way last year. I used wings, roasted them, removed the meat and put (most of ;)) the skin and bones into the stock. It makes a huge difference. In cooking school, they even have different names - basic stock and brown stock.
 

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Thanks for your replies to my above post (# 12) - I will be using this method in future.
 
My daughter has the flu. So I am going to make her a chicken soup with noodles. Nothing like Mama's chicken soup. :angel:
 
I rarely have any stock on hand other than chicken and sometimes turkey.
I use chicken stock to cook fresh beans and for many other uses like thinning down marinara sauce.

There are times I wish i had some homemade beef stock, but making beef stock is not as easy as chicken and i never see beef stock available in Costco.

So I use chicken stock, water or beer for most every task that requires some liquid.

Stock can be made from virtually and bones. Including ham and wild game. I make stock whenever I can get bones, reduce it to glace consistency, then rehydrate as needed. Bones, particularly beef bones, seem to be getting harder to obtain.

Unsalted Kitchen Basics is fairly good stock, and is somewhat available here. I keep it on hand.
 
Has anyone browned their chicken bones (in a hot oven) before making stock? I have a 'recipe' that says to bake them for 20 mins before forming a stock with veg. I would like to know how this compares with just simmering the bones.

I ask because I usually make chicken soup with a stock made from organic chicken bones. However, despite using bones from 2 chickens, I have not found the flavour as good as I expect it to be (and that's after about a 90 mins. simmer!)

Does browning the bones first produce a better flavour (or just changes the colour)?

I always do. You get better flavor and less fat in your broth.
 
You might try to keep Better Than Bullion on hand. They have the "reduced sodium" ones in all the flavors. It is not only great for enhancing the flavor of your gravy, but your soup stocks. Certainly beats using bullion cubes that have more salt than flavor. :angel:
 
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