Mochi the dog loves bones…well she loves anything she can eat – a true definition of a Chow Hound!
Mochi loves stock making day – she knows she’s getting big treats soon.
We love stocks because they are so rich in minerals – namely calcium, magnesium and potassium. As a bonus these brothy minerals are in a form easily assimilated by our bodies. And, not only are there minerals but lots of collagen and broken down cartilage – perfect for our joints. Much tastier than those glucosamine/chondroitin supplements.
Again, we find grandma and mom were right – scientific studies have shown that chicken soup will decrease the recovery time for colds and flu. Another win for Traditional Foods!
Well, poor little S broke her arm the other day. An active almost 2 year old, she loves to climb and consequently fell off a chair. Ouch! She doesn’t quite know what to make of her bright pink cast but when she showed up at our door last night with her head hanging low gently cradling her arm and with the most precious look on her face, we knew she already figured out how to get sympathy.
Little S will have to wear her bright pinkie for a month and then go through lots of physical therapy. To help her along, the perfect food – stock from beef or chicken or pork- all organic of course. She’s a lucky little gal because her mom already gives her broth everyday so we figure she’s got a good foundation built for a speedy recovery.
Here’s a recipe for Chicken Broth:
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
4 quarts water — more or less
6 pounds chicken bones
1 each bay leaf
1 stalk celery — sliced
1 each carrot — sliced
1 each onion — peeled and chopped
1/4 cup white wine — or 1 T lemon juice
1 piece kombu — optional
Put all ingredients in a 6 or 8 quart stock pot. Simmer for 3-4 hours. Skim often to remove fat and scum. Strain. Store in the frig up to 3 or 4 days or freeze.
We like to add some sort of acid source – wine, lemon juice or vinegar to help draw out more of the minerals in the bones. You can simmer longer if you’d like to get even more minerals extracted but the flavor can get quite strong. Some batches I simmer longer and some shorter depending on the end use. For instance, if I’m going to make a chicken vegetable soup I will go on the shorter end so the flavor is not over powering. Play around with the time to see what you like best in terms of flavor.
To make Beef Broth or Pork Broth sub the chicken bones and simmer for 8 to 24 hours. If you like a brown stock, roast the bones in a 350F oven until they are dark brown and then proceed with making the stock.
Go ahead and give it a whirl – it’s easy and oh so good for you!
Here’s to little S for a speedy recovery.
