Homemade Beef Stock & Blogger Party Update

Well, I finally have something to post about.

We like to use homemade stocks when we can so when our neighbor offered us some beef bones we snapped them up.  I forgot to weigh the bones but this is the process I used.

1. Add the bones in a single layer, to a pan (12” cast iron skillet for me) and roast in a 400F oven for one hour.

2. Add the following to the pan and roast for another 30 minutes:

      3 carrots in 3” pieces

      3 celery stalks in 3” pieces

      1 large onion, quartered (or two small ones)

      1 garlic clove cut in half crosswise

3.Since the bones had some fat to start with, I had too much grease in the bottom of my skillet to deglaze and make the stock in it (without extra work), so I added everything to a stock pot, covered them with three quarts of hot water, added a lid, and simmered until the next morning (I added an additional quart of water at bedtime).

4. Using a slotted spoon, I removed as much of the solids to a bowl as I could then strained the stock, ending up with two quarts.

5. To get back to three quarts, I used the sink hose to spray the solids in the bowl and poured it through the strainer into the stock.

6. After cooling, it went into the fridge for the night to solidify the fat.

7. I used a spoon to remove the thin layer of fat and we ended up with three quart bags of very tasty stock for the freezer.

Notes:

1. Roasting is not a requirement but we like the extra richness it delivers.  We often make chicken stock without roasting.

2. While it sounds like a long process, it’s probably only about an hour’s work divided over a couple of days.

3. Sometimes we make it without the veggies, especially when we don’t roast the bones.  While I think the terms are interchangeable, I call the one with veggies "stock" and the other one "broth", that way I know what I’m using – this one will be labeled as “Roasted Beef Stock.”

Looks almost as good as the kind from a box doesn't it.  We then gave the bones back to the same neighbor for her dogs - too big for our guys mouths.

Blogger Party Update

As a follow up to the previous post, the 2015 rendition of our East Tennessee Blogger Party will be as follows:

Date: May 24

Time: 1:30pm

Place: Almost Heaven South, Greenback, TN

Theme: Tapas Party

We would love to have some first time attendees and if you plan to come, please let me know by May 1, via email at grandpop1@yahoo.com

Any additional info will be sent to the attendees in mid-May.

Please feel free to post this on your blog to increase our distribution.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

4/4-4/5/2015 event dates