April 19, 2010

stock

I am pretty much a super klutz in the kitchen.

Food spontaneously jumps out of my hands onto the floor, leaving me shrieking loudly in surprise. Just ask John.

And to make things worse, I just don't have a natural love for cooking like some of you do. I have a few dishes that come out fine, but I am not very adventurous.

So when my sister encouraged me to get the following book last year, it kind of sat and collected dust.


I really wanted to learn how to cook more healthy recipes from scratch, but I just WAS NOT READY. With a new baby, I just did not have the energy.

A little while ago, I decided I was finally ready. I was ready to make some changes.

My assignment for this week was to learn how to make some meat stock( that can later be used to make soup, sauces and other dishes).

Simple enough, right?

Um. Wrong. I did not even own a stock pot. I had to go buy a 12 qt stock pot on saturday.

And I had no idea where to buy soup bones. All of my normal stores just did not have what I needed.

I made some phone calls and was told to try the Farmer's Market. I was very excited and made a special trip out there saturday. I met a real live Cattle Rancher named Jared and he sold me some awesome beef shank bones.



After I got home, I realized I needed more variety of beef bones to make my stock more tasty and gelatinous.

I was not going to let this stop me though. No, wild horses could not stop me. I knew my stock would not come out great, but I was just dying to try my hand at this cooking stuff. I began puttering around the kitchen making preparations.

And I think I may have called my sister a million bajillion times, asking lame questions.

Chopping up all the vegetables and removing the scum part of the stock was very therapuetic. Who knew? I just felt very happy and domestic cooking my stock.

And the meat part was very yummy.

My stock finished simmering around midnight. I went to bed with a smile on my face.

The next morning, I ran to the fridge, to see how my stock was doing.

My stock came out...how shall we say...bland? Yucky? And it did not gel properly because I did not use enough variety of bones. At least the meat part was yummy!

Well, I am still very, very proud of my first attempt, even though it failed.



Next time I shall try to make chicken stock instead, because I think it will be MUCH tastier. I ordered a whole chicken through AH and it's coming this saturday! Eeek! Such excitement over a bird, I don't even know who I am anymore!

16 comments:

  1. No fail honey! You did fabulous! xoxoxox

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  2. Great job! I have that book on request from the library. I can't wait to get it!

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  3. I have yet to venture into making my own stock. I want to though.

    Another good read is Real Food by Nina Planck.

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  4. Ohh I have always wanted to try doing this but just haven't because it sounds like a PAIN! I just might have to try it still :) Was the meat from Springville Ranch? That's the only meat I have seen at the farmer's market and we bought some a few weekends ago :)

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  5. I don't think you failed at all...just tweak!
    And seriously starting with meat stock is brave. I'm still trying to hone the chicken stock but it is easier and more forgiving in the flavor dept. I think.
    Now we eat one roasted chicken a week (Trader Joe's has them super yummy organic and free range for a decent price) and then I save the carcass' up and make stock every 3 weeks or so. In the winter it is so sweet to have the simmering stock warming the house and making you feel quite domestic. I'm pretty confident I am even more of a klutz in the kitchen than you...and definitely NOT a natural cook...good for you for going for it. You are inspiring!

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  6. Wow, that is adventurous. I wouldn't even know where to start. I hate cooking. I really need to try harder but I find it hard to try at things I HATE! I like baking though...to bad I'm on a diet and can't bake anything.

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  7. It looks lovely, D! Good job!

    Did you remember to add salt to your mug of broth? It helps with the blandness so, so much.

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  8. you're so adventuresome!! and adorable, I might add.

    I would say you did amazing for the first time... can't wait to hear about the fun you'll have with the chicken. :)

    by the way, speaking of being a klutz with food: guess who was carrying her plate with a honey-butter English muffin on it through the kitchen when all of a sudden it randomly flew from her hands into the air and there was honey butter everywhere and an English muffin that of course landed upside down creating even more honey butter mess?
    that would be me. I am a butterfinger and a klutz. This is why I never carry knives. I just try to SLIDE them on the counter from point A to point B.

    (kidding. mostly)

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  9. Oh, and you should get the white plastic lids for your jar. They are so wonderful and easy to use and easy to clean.

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  10. i don't even know who you are anymore either! ;) davi, is that you in there? beef stock from scratch? and next up, a whole chicken?!!

    if you could only see my face right now.

    oh, mama. you are amazing. that's it. i've made up my mind. :)

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  11. That is quite the undertaking! Kudos to you!

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  12. You are brave! I'm not great in the kitchen. Even though I know some things are really simple and people made stuff like that all the time in the past before they could buy canned and jarred products at a store, I still get nervous. Keep trying, you'll soon be teaching us your awesome ways. :)

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  13. I love you Davi! You are so amazing, and I am impressed! Can't wait to hear what you will try next =)

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  14. this thrills my heart. and grosses me out.
    at the same time. :o)

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