Stock, the magic elixir

Cooking Discussions Cooking, Cookbooks, Ingredients
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Question for anyone about beef marrow bones. My market had frozen cut bones (transverse to axis, as in coins, 2-3 inch diameter, not along the long axis) in the case for $2.00 a pound. I haven’t really looked at them before but a fellow shopper exclaimed when seeing them and drew my attention, saying she doesn’t see them often at that price and she just gives them raw to her big dogs to chew.

I got a couple of packages, recalling Leo’s stock thread here. If I were to make stock of them, is it better to roast first? (I assume yes). Are they good enough on their own for a stock, or do they need “help” from something else more cartilaginous?

I was tempted to get some beef neck bones to go along but they were $2.70/lb and stripped of nearly all their meat (in contrast to the last time I got neck bones, they had enough meat for a decent stew).

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42

I would definitely roast them first. That will render a lot of fat out of them. You can save that fat to make suet for birds during the winter if you live in a cold climate.

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43

Great price. Yes, I agree with @LeCoqNoir you should roast them. They will add a lot of flavor, but I would still use the neck bones for the collagen. They had two shin bones at Central Market for over $10. Yikes!

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44

Thanks both!

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I’d roast them and eat the marrow first, ha.

The neck bones would add more collagen, as has already been mentioned.

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46

I’d poach them and eat the marrow first, pot au feu style, ha :crazy_face:

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47

Works for me!

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48

Bringing back fond childhood memories of fighting for marrow bones.

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49

You and me both. A hunk of crusty bread and a glass of wine and I’d be in heaven

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50

I think it is really a person choice. I know many people do. I personally don’t. To be transparent, I have only done the beef stock with beef marrow bones a couple of times. Half of the time is for Vietnamese Pho and wasn’t going after the deep roasted flavor, but a more lighter clean taste.

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So many eating…

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Anyone make mixed-source (differing animals) stock? I’ve got a smallish chicken carcass in the freezer and mid-week did an oxtail stew with about 3 pounds of tail. So in each case I don’t have as much bones as I’d normally use to make individual stock.

But the oxtail stew recipe I followed this time called for chicken stock as the braising liquid, and I’ve seen other cases of beef or pork braises calling for chicken stock.

This just got me wondering if, instead of waiting on more of each type of bones, I shouldn’t instead just make a single, mixed stock of them. I figure it’d be good for most pork and beef braising situations, although I wouldn’t want to make chicken tortellini soup of it.

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53

Interesting idea but I have never tried it.

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54

Any time I make stock or broth (whatever term you want), it almost gets used up right away. I’m surprised many keep so much stock in your fridge/freezer.

Chinese markets are indeed great for bones, but I’ve never seen them quite as low as 10lbs for a buck. Beef, pork and chicken bones are readily available but usually run $2-4/lb in my area. These are used to make soup bases, for noodles or regular soup, so you don’t see these at prices like they are giving them away. Unless you have a small Asian population and there are few buyers at least.

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I make stock in four-quart batches.

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I’ve made mixed for Chinese dishes since superior stock is chicken, pork (ham), and seafood. I’ve also done shrimp and chicken for Kai Si Hor Fun and pork/chicken and shrimp for prawn mee. Mixed stocks are more versatile than one would think if just looking at European cuisines!

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57

Very interesting. Thank you for that insight.

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58

Speaking of stock, I just pressed a quart of ham stock I made a few months ago into service to make leek and potato soup. The recipe is at my blog is anyone is interested.

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59

Fun blog. Your cassoulet sounds like mine only I add lamb. 'Tis the season! A favorite fall dinner (or three) is cassoulet, Bibb lettuce salad with white wine vinaigrette, and apple pie or tart. I have yet to open a bottle of wine that does not pair with cassoulet!

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60

If you like cassoulet, check out my Québécois pork and beans. I am convinced that what Boston claims to have invented is actually an adaptation of cassoulet, fêves aux lard.

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