Of all the things to cook on a hot day, I decided today I needed to make bone broth.
I like a good quality stock. It is so versatile and goes beyond soups. When I run out I sorely miss it.
I ran out a few weeks ago.
The flavour, the healthful properties, everything is improved in homemade stocks and broths. Right? I can also control the amount of salt. Most store-bought broths are way too heavily salted for my taste.
But since it is hot now up in my land, finally, and the soup cooking and eating has reduced somewhat (but not completely), I have plans to freeze my broth in ice cube trays. Next time I make a sauce or Mexican beef or tomato soup for the girl child or stew or any sort of sauce I can add a few cubes.
That’s beef broth you see in the picture above, but I also make chicken or vegetarian stock.
This time, I added a whole bag full of frozen veg odds and ends I saved especially for this purpose: ends of onions (plus skins), garlic and leeks, squash peel, carrots or celery (whatever parts the guinea pigs don’t eat), that sort of thing.
I put it all in the oven, filled an inch of water into my dutch oven, and roasted the bones and veg for a while. After about an hour I filled it completely with water, gave it a stir, added spices and then went out back to snip off some fresh Mother of Thyme.
Except…I froze in mid step.
The groundhog is back, no doubt eyeing my brand-new veggie beds and my freshly sprouted seedlings.
Sigh.
I guess my writing afternoon has now changed to ‘make contraptions to keep wildlife out of my garden beds’ afternoon.
Boo.
You’ve inspired me to do this. Lots of great ideas here. Thanks!
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I like the sound of frozen broth. Going to try that. We have a lovely blueberry bush. Produces wonderful fruit. Year after year, whatever I do, the birds win. Lucky to get a couple of small berries.
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I like the idea of putting the broth in ice-cube trays. Broth cubes?
Just be careful if you fancy a cold drink at the end of a long day 😉
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Which is why I bought new trays for that purpose. Some of my old ones had a faint scent of garlic. 😀
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I agree. A good stock is essential to bringing out the best flavors in my Italian wedding soup. Which is on the non-literal back burner now that it’s summer.
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It makes such a huge difference, having good quality stock for soup bases. 🙂
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We get Deer in my garden, eats absolutely everything. Lost our carrots and beans so far this year.
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Yes I hear a lot about deer
… Sorry to hear that.
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Are things getting back to normal where you are.
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In Toronto? We’re in phase 1… Slowly I guess….
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We have a family of woodchucks. Of course I only grow flowers, so we rarely compete for food.
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I just googled that. Same animal, different name.
I have yet to see the babies…a few years back there were two.
We also have raccoons…
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We have chucks, raccoons, skunks, foxes, possums, chipmunks, ducks and deer. We’re equal
opportunity feeders.
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I do like fresh lettuce from the garden but that may not be this season. Again. 😉
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I’ve never tried making stock in the oven before, but it sounds like an easy way to do it. Good luck with the groundhog!
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I usually do it in the crockpot…emits less heat. Didn’t dig it out today…
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Anyone up for groundhog broth??
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Ha!
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