Beef stock question

[snickerdoodle]

I have some beef bones I bought at the farmer's market and want to try my hand at making stock with them. I've read up on the method and feel pretty good about that but my question is do I need to add any beef "trimmings" to it? A few articles I read said that it will add more flavor. I don't have any trimmings so if it's decided that I should add some beef, do you think I could add some cooked ground beef?

 

[Snip 13]

I can't see why the bones alone won't work but the ground beef won't harm your stock either. Just don't add too much water then the stock won't be too diluted. And if the beef your planning to use is pre seasoned I wouldn't use it. Rather some ground raw beef.

 

[Bigjim68]

I don't use any trimmings. I roast the bones, add carrots, onions, celery, all unpeeled, water, and simmer for hours. No seasoning added to the stock, including salt. Time enough to add seasoning when using. Stock freezes well. I reduce it down to a couple of ice cube trays or muffin tins and freeze separately

 

[FrankZ]

When I buy bones for stock they usually have some meat on them. If not I will buy a little bit of chuck and roast it along with the bones before making the stock.

 

[joesfolk]

I have heard that to get the most flavor from the bones the stock should be very gently simmered and not boiled. I guess it helps to get the marrow out. If you can break the bones, that is supposed to help too.

 

[Rocklobster]

If you have marrow bones, I would poke the marrow out at some point and let it concentrate on the bottom. I would add some garlic in the skins also. You can't really go wrong. Just don't burn the bejeesus out of it.

 

[snickerdoodle]

Thanks all! I think I'll give it a shot this weekend just using the bones. They are wrapped in paper so maybe they have meat on them anyway. We'll see... I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Andy M.]

Make sure you allow a lot of time. They should simmer for at least 12 hours.

 

[snickerdoodle]

Thanks Andy! I will let it go for 12+ hours in hopes of getting some gelatin out of dem bones.

 

[cara]

why do I feel the urgent need for a beef soup at 9 in the morning??

I don't use any trimmings. I roast the bones, add carrots, onions, celery, all unpeeled, water, and simmer for hours. No seasoning added to the stock, including salt. Time enough to add seasoning when using. Stock freezes well. I reduce it down to a couple of ice cube trays or muffin tins and freeze separately

that's almost the way we do that... only difference is, I add the veggies (+leek) when it starts to boil.
I add some roast for the taste and DH's delight

You need to plan two days for the broth, start the first, simmer for hours and hours, cool down over night and start the simmering again the next day.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

The gel comes from dissolved collagen and comes from connecting tissue, and cartilage. Adding roasted meat will add additional flavor, as will the veggies, but neither are abosolutely required for a stock. The bones should be broken, or cracked to allow the simmering liquid access to the inner marrow found in all bones. Also, adding celery will make the water slightly acidic, which helps leach nutrients and collagen from the bones. If you leave the carrots and onions out, then you are free to use the stock to make broths, soups, sauces, and gravies where those flavors may not be wanted.

Stock is simply the nutrient rich liquid made from simmering bones until as much of the nutrients can be extracted as is possible. It is called a stock because it is used to "stock" the pantry.

Tom turn stock into consume', the liquid has to be filtered to remove all debri. This is usually done with a raft. the liquid becomes clear.

Beef stock is used to make Au Jus, Demi-Glace, Espaniogle, gravies and soups.

Chicken stock is used for Veloute' Soups, Gravies, and as the base for everthing from sweet & sour sauce, to chicken and dumplings, to Chicken Chow Mein.

Pork and veal stock can also be used to make Veloute, along with a host of other things.

Fish stock si called a fume' and can be used in many Asian dishes, and to make sauces. It is also the base liquid for Bouillabaisse.

Vegetable stocks are less well known, but are very versatile as well.

Enjoy your stock. It can either be home canned, or frozen for storage.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[snickerdoodle]

Thanks G-dub! I have used a splash of vinegar in my chicken stock to bring out the collagen so the same principal should apply to beef, no?

Now I fear I have a food safety question related to the bones. I had them in the freezer up until last weekend. I took them out of the freezer and put them in my crisper. The thing I hate about the crisper is I always forget I have put things there. I try not to use it but alas, my fridge was so full at the time and I needed space in my freezer for a ginormous pork loin I just bought. Anyway, the bones have been chillin in the fridge for about a week. I feel like they are probably still OK to use but wanted to bounce it off you guys. They were deep frozen when I bought them, if that makes any difference.

Also, any good ideas on how a 95 pound woman can break the bones?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Thanks G-dub! I have used a splash of vinegar in my chicken stock to bring out the collagen so the same principal should apply to beef, no?

Now I fear I have a food safety question related to the bones. I had them in the freezer up until last weekend. I took them out of the freezer and put them in my crisper. The thing I hate about the crisper is I always forget I have put things there. I try not to use it but alas, my fridge was so full at the time and I needed space in my freezer for a ginormous pork loin I just bought. Anyway, the bones have been chillin in the fridge for about a week. I feel like they are probably still OK to use but wanted to bounce it off you guys. They were deep frozen when I bought them, if that makes any difference.

Also, any good ideas on how a 95 pound woman can break the bones?

The bones should be fine. As for breaking them, a heavy meat cleaver will do the work for you. Otherwise, I'm thinking a hammer or steel mallet. Have the bone you are trying to break, or crack, in a heavy paper or plastic bag so as to contain any bone fragments that might splinter off and away.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[snickerdoodle]

Oh good idea on the bag... I don't think I would have thought of that. Thanks!

 

[Claire]

To get a good flavor and color, I put my beef bones on a baking tray (with a lip) along with halved or quartered onions, chunks of carrot and celery, some garlic (no need to peel). Sprinkle with S&P and drizzle with a little olive oil if the bones don't have much fat. I bake at 350 or maybe 400 for an hour or two (you don't want it to burn, but definitely to brown). Then slide all of them into my largest stock pot and barely cover with water. A bay leaf, some thyme. Then I let it stew. All day. strain and refrigerate, skim any fat, then freeze.

 

[Claire]

Oh, yes. I poke out any marrow, put it on bread (between the roasting stage and stewing stage). Yumm

 

[snickerdoodle]

So get this... I opened up the paper wrapped package of "bones" and all I really have are 2 chunks of bone/meat. More meat than bone for sure. I looked at the outside of the package again and it says "soup bones". I quickly concluded that the package's contents were meant for 1 batch of beef based soup. So... into the crock pot it goes! Help? It's 1:30 here... could I have a veggie/beef soup ready by dinner time in the crock pot? Or maybe if I started it now it and let it go until lunch time tomorrow it would be better? *sigh* There never seems to be a dull moment in my kitchen.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

If you have a pressure cooker, take that water and soup bone/s, along with chunks of carrot, potato, celery, and onion. Add a little salt, pepper, and garlic to the mix. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Your soup will be perfect. For added flavor, you can add red wine. It's a French thing. I never use alcoholic beverages personally, but understand that many people like them.

Also, if you simply place the same ingredients as above in a regular soup pot, on the stove top, and simmer for about three hours, you will have great soup. I don't think the slow cooker will work for tonight's meal.

You can also braise those bones in a 340' oven, in a casserole dish, or dutch oven, along with the same veggies and get a great soup, or the beginning of a great stew. For stew, simply make a light-brown roux with equal parts butter and flour (about 4 tbs. each should do for a standard pot of stew), and make a thickening sauce by whisking about 3/4 cup of soup broth into the roux. Then add the roux to the soup, remove the bones, and remove the meat from the bones. Add the meat back into the meal.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Zhizara]

Roast the bones after the crock pot. There should still be tons of goodness there.

 

[binny]

2 different ways in making beef stock

One
Burn the bones with mirepoix and spreading tomato paste on the bones to cover it turn it after it darkens then roast again for longer.

Put bones in pot, deglaze roasting pan with wine add water,veg,herbs skim every 30 minutes remove after 8hrs of simmering.

recipe 2

Bring bones to boil. Strain bones, simmer bones again with vegetables add tomato paste in with herbs, skim constantly remove bones and skim stock

I honestly dont know which one tastes better but the first is alot darker.