Lanie Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I left the bones in the crock pot overnight with water, seasonings and strained it in the morning. I'm still nervous I missed a step and it won't really be nutritious. I have a terrible cold, so I am looking for something to help my swollen throat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkbk Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 The easy way to tell is to see if it takes on a jello consistency when you refrigerate it. This will tell you whether the gelatin from the bones made it into the broth. Even if it doesn't, though, drink it anyways - there will still be gelatin and other minerals and nutrients in there. The only other thing to do is to add a bit of vinegar to the crock pot. This helps to pull the nutrients from the bones, but it's not necessary. I bet your broth is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bon Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 I'm curious about this too. I make beef bone broth weekly (have been for the past 3 months). I have only twice gotten a thicker gelatin consistency and I'm not sure why. I make it the same way every time using the beef marrow bones from Whole Foods along with cider vinegar, garlic and salt and cooking it in my crockpot for 24 hours. For my next batch I plan to use some local grass fed bones I found... I'm hoping it ends up more gelatinous. I have still noticed benefits from drinking it, but I really would like more gelatin. I've read that marrow bones are great, but I'm wondering if I should be using different bones... like neck or oxtail, but those are not as easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 You do not have to go for the gelatinous consistancy for it to be nutritious. That is just a bonus and it doesn't always happen. You simmered the bones for hours..therefore you made a good broth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Simpson Thumann Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Neck bones would be great but oxtail is more for a stew, think Osso Bucco type stew. I always try to use bones with little to no meat, imo they seem to yield better stocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Temperature and length of simmer also determine whether or not your broth gels. Too high a heat, or an extended simmer, and you've passed the point of gelling. The gelatin is still there, it has just lost its cohesiveness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmp1338 Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Bon: Just curious, what specific benefits have you noticed personally from drinking bone broth everyday for the past 3 months? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beets Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Temperature and length of simmer also determine whether or not your broth gels. Too high a heat, or an extended simmer, and you've passed the point of gelling. The gelatin is still there, it has just lost its cohesiveness. Hmm. Do you think this means it's not possible to get that gelling when making broth in a pressure cooker? I have been making stock from bones since I started cooking in college, but never paid attention to whether it gelled or not till now. I love the speed and energy savings of making broth in the pressure cooker but I have noticed my broth is not as gelatinous as usual after chilling. (It's also more cloudy.) I also am not loving the cider vinegar and I wonder if it really does help? Maybe I'll get used to it but I am not loving the sour taste it seems to leave. I love vinegar normally but not in stock. Maybe this is another issue with the pressure cooker: perhaps the vinegar taste goes away if cooked in a slow-cooker or stock pot. ETA: Scratch that! The broth I made yesterday in the PC is nice and wobbly. Must be the cooking length and tweaking of technique/bone combo that makes the difference, not the PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Beets, I just watched Elton Brown make beef broth in a pressure cooker yesterday. It made me want to get a pressure cooker. I agree with the addition of ACV. I have tried to like it but I just don't. I only use 1 TBS in a 6 qt slow cooker and can taste it. Now I use 1 tsp and can't taste it. I doubt it does much good at that amount but oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Christensen Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 I do a minimum of 72 hours on all my stock. I've never had it not gel. That said, I keep a perpetual crock pot simmering. When I take a cup out I add a cup of water back in. The bones go about a week before getting soft. I then strain and freeze or use whatever stock is left. ideally I start the next batch in another crockpot a couple of days before my current batch is going to finish. The stock is always super thick and rich all week. I use it in everything and my kids and I drink it daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Wow Kim. That is very awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Hit submit too soon. Kim do you add veggies in the first go around? I think I like the sweetness. Also are you in the ACV camp or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Christensen Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 If I need my stock quickly I put ACV but when you simmer it for multiple days you have no problem getting everything out of those bones. By the end of the week you can crush them with your fingers. Then they go to the dogs. They love those super soft bone treats! Even big old beef joints and bones are super brittle. Every bit of nutrients are out of them. I do put onion, carrot, and celery ends in my stock. Throughout the week if I chop an onion I throw the end in the current simmering crockpot. Keeps it fresh tasting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Christensen Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 And oh how rich your veggies get when you splash rich beef broth in them as they cook. They get all shiny from the gelatin and fat. I'm about to eat a big plate of rich shiny cabbage cooked with some beef stock. Nom nom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 And oh how rich your veggies get when you splash rich beef broth in them as they cook. They get all shiny from the gelatin and fat. I'm about to eat a big plate of rich shiny cabbage cooked with some beef stock. Nom nom. Yum..okay going to use your method today. Now I really need a third SC. :0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Christensen Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Since I was cooking during this thread I decided to poach my eggs in stock (added a little salt to the pan) and oh my! The whites got all brown and soaked in the flavor. I put the eggs on my stocky cabbage, broke the yolks, and it mixed with the stock and made gravy. Man alive was my lunch yummy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bon Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Temperature and length of simmer also determine whether or not your broth gels. Too high a heat, or an extended simmer, and you've passed the point of gelling. The gelatin is still there, it has just lost its cohesiveness. Interesting, I didn't notice this. I wonder if I have it too hot. In my crockpot it still bubbles on the low setting. I prefer a thicker broth... but good to know it's all still there. Bon: Just curious, what specific benefits have you noticed personally from drinking bone broth everyday for the past 3 months? I feel like my digestion has improved immensely. I don't seem as sensitive to certain things and my weight seems to be leveling off - I've always struggled to keep my weight up and I'm noticing that I'm much less aware of fluctuations and my pants are staying up;) I really think the broth has contributed to healing my gut and now I absorb my nutrition better. I've been paleo for over a year now, but the broth really seems to have made a marked difference. I have issues with my right shoulder and I noticed a huge improvement within two weeks of starting the broth and haven't had trouble with it since! I do a minimum of 72 hours on all my stock. I've never had it not gel. That said, I keep a perpetual crock pot simmering. When I take a cup out I add a cup of water back in. The bones go about a week before getting soft. I then strain and freeze or use whatever stock is left. ideally I start the next batch in another crockpot a couple of days before my current batch is going to finish. The stock is always super thick and rich all week. I use it in everything and my kids and I drink it daily. Do you not cool and remove the fat? I was under the impression that the fat stored the toxins and it was best not to consume it. I like the idea of a continuous pot going... I didn't know you could use them that long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Do you not cool and remove the fat? I was under the impression that the fat stored the toxins and it was best not to consume it. I like the idea of a continuous pot going... I didn't know you could use them that long! If you are using bones from grassfed and happy beef, that is not an issue. If those are not available, you can use a gravy seperator. I personally dont care for oily stock so I will use one when I drink it straight. When I cook veggies in it, I will use the fatty stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Christensen Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 I use grassfed beef and am not remotely concerned about toxins in fat. I use all sorts of animals fats I have a friend who will take her crock, put it in the fridge overnight, skim, then put back on for the rest of the week. I personally don't mind the fat at all and have WAY too much going on in my life to take time to skim or whatnot. As it is I just dip a coffee cup to splash in veggies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Well, I have a mixture of oxtails, grassfed veal and a couple of lamb neck bones tossed in for good measure. I browned them well in the oven (didn't want to use my browning slow cooker because I have a chili I want to make), added the onions, carrots and celery to the pan about 20 minutes before the meat bones were ready and let them caramelize. Everything is out on my deck in the crockpot. My apt is rather small, so I like cooking with the slow cooker outside so my entire home doesn't smell like stock. It will be hard to wait 72 hours. I do have some chicken stock left, so I won't be stockless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyS Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Woah. This turned into the Best Thread Ever. I never thought of simmering stock constantly for a week. It sounds amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Woah. This turned into the Best Thread Ever. I never thought of simmering stock constantly for a week. It sounds amazing. Amy you know I will tell you all about my perpetual stock adventure in about 69 hours. :0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceegee25 Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Mmm, I am so psyched to make mroe bone broth after reading this thread! I made some about a week ago with a leftover chicken carcass...and it was good...but not GREAT. I want GREAT. That being said, I don't have any grass fed beef with bones defrosting for dinner tonght (leftovers FTW). Does anyone know if you can buy JUST bones from the butcher counter at Wegman's? Or if they have grass fed beef bones packaged in the meat section? Cause I totally NEED to start making this tonight... ;-) TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Well I could only wait 48 hours. Had to have a cup this morning. So delicious!! Beautiful and brown nectar of the Gods. :0) Will refrain from having another cup until tomorrow night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Simpson Thumann Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I am going home for Mothers Day... I am making my Mom chicken stock...as a present...and maybe some ghee..and mayo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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