Week 31: Bring on the New Decade

20 December 2019 (photo courtesy of Heather Swanson Vogt)

Happy New Year everyone!!! 2020 is here. Not only do we get to celebrate a new year together, but also a new decade! Does that mean we double up on the resolutions? After taking a few weeks off for some holiday rest and relaxation, we are back with a post we've been looking forward to for quite a while.

Being part of Moutoux Orchard, we get to live each day celebrating a repeating theme - NO WASTE. This theme is present in so many facets of the farm from reusable packaging, composting, and preserving to crop rotation and space upgrades. This also includes utilization of all parts of the animal, including the bones. Hope you all enjoy this weeks pictorial recipe post on bone broth.

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Step 1: Grab a bag or 2 of bones for beef/pork broth, or chicken feet for chicken broth.

Step 2: Put bones in a large stock pot; stainless steel recommended.

Step 3: Cover with water.

Step 4: Boil on high for 30 minutes to remove the impurities (foam on the top). Skim and discard foam.

Step 5: Drain bones and discard water. Place bones on baking sheet and roast in 450F oven for ~60 minutes, flipping a few times.

You want the bones roasted dark for best flavor. You can also strain and save the fat drippings that have accumulated here, it is excellent for cooking.

Step 6: Add bones to large stock pot.

Step 7: Cover with water, adding enough so the bones are covered by 2-3" of water.

Step 8 (optional): Add a splash of apple cider vinegar. This is said to help extract more nutrients from the bones.

Step 9: Cover and simmer for ~24 hours (for beef or pork bones), ~12 hours for chicken.

Step 10: Grab those veggie scraps you've been saving. Uncover and add, simmering for another 24 hours (beef/pork) or 12 hours (poultry) to let the bone broth concentrate. You may have to add a bit more water if evaporates too much. Note: We used leek tops, celery, onion, garlic, and peppercorns.

Step 11: Once the boiling is complete, carefully strain into another pot and cool as quickly as possible. Doing this in the dead of winter and putting outside works well. Can also put in a sink with ice bath or use wort chiller if you're fancy. Adding ice also works. Goal being to cool enough to safely put in the fridge and quickly enough to prevent bacteria growth.

Step 12: Once cooled down, put in the fridge overnight to solidify fat layer.

Step 13: Remove and freeze this fat (tallow/lard) and use for cooking! Great sub for butter/oil in saute, fried eggs, or roasted veggies! Note, you don't have to remove all the fat. Some fat left in the broth is yummy!

Step 14: Cooled broth will likely be thick and gelatinous. Warm broth and portion into jars. Preserve via pressure canning or freezing.

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Happy Holidays! 20 December 2019 (photo courtesy of Heather Swanson Vogt)