RECIPE: Home Canned Bone Broth (AKA Stock)

Coincidentally, I started on this large batch of broth on the eve of Earth Day, a time when there is quite a lot of discussion about food waste and sustainable agriculture. Here's a great way to cut down on waste, and get delicious soup stock in the process!

Let me start by saying there are exact recipes to follow out there on the internet for bone broth. This is not one of those! Over the winter, I collected up scraps from roasted birds and chopped veggies in gallon freezer bags and threw them in the chest freezer until I got enough to fill a 23 qt pot...

There is quite a bit of information out there online concerning the health benefits of bone broth. It makes an excellent medicinal base for soups during cold and flu season, and it's delicious! Making your own is definitely worth the effort!

Ingredients

3 gallon freezer bags of misc. poultry or beef bones
1 gallon freezer bag carrot, celery and onion scraps *

8 cloves Garlic

1 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Rosemary

1 tsp. Basil

1/8 tsp. Cayenne

Salt and Pepper to taste

* I used carrot peelings and tops, celery leaves and root ends, onion tops and bottoms. Onion portion should be equal to no more than one medium onion.

Put bones, veggies and garlic in a large stock pot. Pour enough water into the stock pot to just cover the bones and vegetable scraps. Bring bones to a boil. Turn heat down til the pot is just at a simmer, and continue to simmer for 12 hours. Add herbs and spices and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Let the broth cool til able to be safely handled and strain broth using a fine mesh strainer or colander to remove bones and vegetable scraps. Some tiny bits of meat and herbs may not be strained out, that's fine. You may want to let it cool enough to remove solidified fats from the surface if you are using beef bones.

Reheat the broth just to a boil, and fill sterilized canning jars leaving 1" head space. Process the jars of broth at 11 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes for pints, and 25 minutes for quarts. A 3/4 full 23 qt stock pot of bones and veggie scraps made 9 quarts of broth.

RECIPE: Dill Deviled Eggs

Anyone inviting me to a picnic or holiday party already knows what I'll be bringing! I've been making these eggs for several years now,  they're always gone by the end of the evening.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Dozen Boiled Eggs, peeled

1/4 c. Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. Yellow Mustard

1 Tbsp. Dill Relish

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Onion Powder

1/4 tsp. Parsley

1/4 tsp. Basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Paprika

PREPARATION:

Slice eggs lengthwise, reserving yolks aside in a mixing bowl. Mash yolks with a fork and add remaining ingredients, except Paprika. Mix well, until filling is fairly smooth and creamy (if the filling is a little dry, you may add more mayo). Fill the yolk depression in each egg white with filling. Sprinkle lightly with Paprika and serve.

*If you make them more than a few hours beforehand, be sure to cover them well with wax paper or foil. The fillings will dry out and become "crusty".

RECIPE: Carrie's Homemade Chicken Soup

This savory soup is a favorite around Lil Raisin Acres, Brittney even requested it for her birthday dinner! It's especially popular during the dark, cold winter cold and flu season. 

INGREDIENTS:

10 c. Chicken Broth
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup*
1 can Cream of Celery Soup*
2 Carrots, chopped
3 Stalks Celery, chopped
1/4 c Onion, chopped
2 Chicken Breasts, diced
2 c. Egg Noodles
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Rosemary
1/4 tsp. Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

*Substitute store-bought condensed soups with THIS recipe to avoid sodium and preservatives.

PREPARATION:

Combine broth and cream soups in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add carrots, celery, onion and herbs, and boil for an 15 minutes. Add noodles and diced chicken. Return to a boil, and cook for and additional 10-12 minutes or until noodles reach desired consistency. Makes 12 servings.

RECIPE: Spicy Venison Chili

As harvest season begins to draw to a close the days grow shorter and cooler, bringing in both deer hunting season and tailgating season. Here's a great way to utilize those home canned tomatoes and harvested meat and please guests at the same time. This chili can be made ahead in large batches and frozen.

Chili has been frozen and thawed after 6 months. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs. Ground Venison

1 Large Yellow Onion, chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, minced**

2 Cans Chili Beans

2 Cans Chili Beans in Spicy Sauce*

2 Qt. Home Canned Tomatoes with Juice, diced

1 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste

3 Stalks Celery, chopped

2 Green Peppers, seeded and diced

1/2 Bottle of Beer (We use Miller Genuine Draft)

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tbsp. Tabasco Sauce**

4 tsp. Beef Bouillon Granules

1/4 c. Chili Powder

1 Tbsp. Cayenne**

1 Tbsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp. Oregano

1 tsp. Basil

1 tsp. Sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

* Use plain chili beans for mild chili

**Adjust amounts by half for mild chili

+You may substitute venison for any ground meat- beef, turkey, chicken etc.

PREPARATION:

In a large pot, brown venison together with onion and garlic. Drain any excess grease. Add all other ingredients to the pot, mix well and cover. Simmer chili for about 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. May be served topped with shredded cheese, if desired. 

To freeze, simply fill freezer safe containers with cooled chili, leaving about 1/2" head space. Stores well for about 6 months.

RECIPE: Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce

Continuing with our tomato theme this week, we'd need to make something from all that tomato puree we've made with our food mill, right? Naturally, homegrown tomatoes make for some excellent pasta sauce!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Yellow Onion, chopped
6 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 lbs. Mushrooms, sliced
1 Green Pepper, diced
18 c. Tomato Puree
3 Tbsp. Beef Bouillon
3 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Oregano
1 Tbsp. Basil
1 tsp. Cayenne
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp. Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Combine ingredients in a large stock pot, simmer uncovered for 90 minutes, or until thickened to desired consistency. Fill sterile pint jars with hot sauce. Process in a pressure cooker for 20 mins at 11 lbs. pressure.

Makes about 6 pints of home canned sauce.

RECIPE: Grilled Squash

Simple and quick side dish for grilled meats.

INGREDIENTS:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Dried Basil
Garlic Powder

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Brush the inside if each half with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle basil and garlic powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Grill for appx. 5-10 minutes,  til tender.

***Accompanying Grilled Potatoes Recipe HERE.