Like mid line stabilisation bone broth or stock can be the very solid starting base for many delicious meals and can be frozen and reheated as required.
I recently stopped at the local butcher to grab some bones for my woof. When I got home I found they looked so great I decided to split them with him and cook my lot into a great soup base.
Make a big pot and freeze some down so when you are busy you can just grab it from the freezer and throw it straight into a saucepan for a quick nutritious base to a meal.
These measurements are rough and to be honest I will use up any veggies in pretty much any quantity if I find mid week I have veg that need to be cooked up rather than in 2 days time wasted.
The goods:
2 kg bones*
2 cloves garlic, peeled and just squashed with the flat of a knife
1 brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 leek, cleaned and roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
parsley, use all the stalks and keep the leaves for using fresh
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar*
3 star anise*
1 cinnamon quill*
small handful kefir lime leaves*
Put them all in a pot or your slow cooker, cover with cold water and then cook at a simmer (medium low heat) for 6 hours or more. It is edible within 4 hours but the more you cook it the more condensed the flavour. Just keep a watch on your water levels every few hours.
Once finished cooking allow to cool slightly before straining the mix. Use the liquid in soups, stews or curry bases. Anything not used can be stored for up to a week in a sealed container in the fridge or for 3-4 months in the freezer.
*I used pork but you can use chicken, bacon, fish, lamb or beef. If they contain marrow and are cut up to release additional nutrition it is even better.
*There are some great vinegars like Braggs that you can source from most health food stores.
*I was using as a base for an Asian soup. You can also add the dried shiitake mushrooms to the brew and its great. Alternatively if you are using on a non Asian dish replace the star anise, cinnamon and lime leaves with bay leaves, thyme, oregano etc.
Many people roast off the bones prior to cooking the bone broth. If you want a more intense flavour go nuts, do it. Otherwise seriously, the stove top or the slow cooker do an epic job.
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