making stock (broth)

[JessicaR]

What am I doing wrong???? I tried to make turkey stock from the leftover thanksgiving turkey, it was very weak/watery tasting. I followed the recipe from the internet, which was pretty basic; onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, salt, water; enough to cover the bones; bring to boil and simmer 2-3 hours. Should I have used less water or cooked it longer? I would like to try again with chicken but I'm afraid it will turn out bad again.

 

[alforddm]

Cook it longer ALOT longer. I try to cook mine at least 12 hrs at least on a slow simmer or in a crockpot. When its good and done the bones should literally be like chalk that you can break apart with only a little pressure.

Be sure you keep the cartilage on the bones. A good stock should gel when cool.

 

[JessicaR]

Thanks!! I guess don't believe every recipe you read :lol: I thought 3 hours was pretty short cook time

 

[Miss M]

I agree about the time... and to be honest, I don't even season stock any more than what's on the bones I'm putting in. I season whatever I add the broth to.

I recently learned from another member about making a good bone broth in the pressure cooker! A splash of vinegar (like a tablespoon or two, depending on the size of the pot) to pull the minerals from the bones, cover the bones and fill to the max fill line, and pressure cook for two hours after it comes to pressure. I use a lot less propane that way! Let it come down on its own, cool, and package whatever way you desire. Currently, I freeze it in two-cup amounts.

That's the only way to get a great broth in so little time, though. Without a pressure cooker, it takes much longer. But it's worth it.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Cook it longer ALOT longer. I try to cook mine at least 12 hrs at least on a slow simmer or in a crockpot. When its good and done the bones should literally be like chalk that you can break apart with only a little pressure.

Be sure you keep the cartilage on the bones. A good stock should gel when cool.

Yep, I use a crock pot and let it cook at LEAST 8 hrs on high.

 

[dayna]

I keep a bag in the freezer of carrot and onion ends, bits of garlic ends, etc etc. I toss the used frame of the animal and those things, as well as a couple peppercorns. Cover the animal bits with water (but not too much) and cook hours and hours. NOM.

 

[Zass]

I simmer stock for at least 12 hours too, and usually let it sit overnight and simmer it some more the next day.

A carcass, onion, carrot, salt, and a bay leaf are what I consider to be my own stock-making-essential-ingredients, but lots of other things usually end up there too.

 

[SoDak Thriver]

Turkey can be a little tricky depending on the shape of the carcass you have left as well. Sometimes turkey carcass can be pretty big and require lots of water to cover, but have little left in the way of meat bits and cartilage.

I'm with everyone else on the time. I generally start mine in the morning and put it away after dinner.

 

[Miss M]

We collect bones all the time, so when I make broth, it's usually with several carcasses at once. Especially in my giant pressure canner. So I'll put the turkey bones in there, and add any chicken or rabbit bones I've amassed. I usually keep pork bones separate in the freezer to make pork broth with.

We go through so much homemade broth!

I really was glad to learn about the pressure cooker method. Propane's expensive. If I can spend 2 hours instead of 10 with that broth, that's a big savings to me, with how often we make broth.

 

[Homer]

I really was glad to learn about the pressure cooker method. Propane's expensive. If I can spend 2 hours instead of 10 with that broth, that's a big savings to me, with how often we make broth.

What! Do you have a camera outside watching me? :x I use my 30 quart caner too on the turkey fryer burner. :yes: 15 psi for two hours then shut if off and forget it for another 4 hours. Then it goes in 1/2 gallon wide mouth jars and they get seated with a vacuum sealer attachment for the FoodSaver. Into the extra frig in the garage until needed. Right now we have Beef, Elk, Rabbit and Turkey...but not for long. Any time I make stock the crisper gets cleaned out to. :lol:

 

[Miss M]

What! Do you have a camera outside watching me? :x

"Every step you take
Every broth you make
Every seal you break
Every fire you slake
I'll be watching you."

:lol:

I use my 30 quart caner too on the turkey fryer burner. :yes:

22, top of stove. I want to get an outdoor burner.

15 psi for two hours then shut if off and forget it for another 4 hours.

15 psi for two hours, then shut it off and forget it overnight. Package in zip bags the next day, stack on baking tray in the freezer, separated by wax paper.

 

[Homer]

What! Do you have a camera outside watching me? :x

"Every step you take
Every broth you make
Every seal you break
Every fire you slake
I'll be watching you."

:lol:

:coffee-screen: It's to early in the morning and I wasn't ready for that one. I think I need a new keyboard.

I want to get an outdoor burner.

I use it all the time. Most all the canning gets done outside unless it's raining to keep the heat out of the house.

Package in zip bags the next day, stack on baking tray in the freezer, separated by wax paper.

If I had the freezer space I would do the same. Too many roasted peppers and other goodies from the garden. One freezer is nothing but plus one shelf in the "meat freezer".

 

[the reluctant farmer]

I keep a bag in the freezer of carrot and onion ends, bits of garlic ends, etc etc. I toss the used frame of the animal and those things, as well as a couple peppercorns. Cover the animal bits with water (but not too much) and cook hours and hours. NOM.

Dayna beat me to it--I was going to suggest the same thing. Veggie scrapings, mushrooms coming close to the end of their time , (you can dry them, too, but they taste rubbery to me when I rehydrate), make good broth--IF I don't give them to the buns. Also, if you dehydrate celery leaves, you can crumble them or mix with salt to make a celery salt. When I have to buy celery I now deliberately look for leafy stalks.

__________ Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:28 pm __________

Turkey can be a little tricky depending on the shape of the carcass you have left as well. Sometimes turkey carcass can be pretty big and require lots of water to cover, but have little left in the way of meat bits and cartilage.

Good point. If you have good kitchen shears, cut through the rib cage and breast bones so the carcass is "flatter" and that will give you a more realistic sense of how much bone you need to cover. <br /><br /> __________ Fri Dec 04, 2015 6:31 pm __________ <br /><br />

What! Do you have a camera outside watching me? :x

"Every step you take
Every broth you make
Every seal you break
Every fire you slake
I'll be watching you."

Too funny!