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: Hot and Sour Soup

This savory soup makes a great lunch, or side dish for a hearty stir fry!

I recently had the opportunity to try Hot and Sour Soup. I am a big fan of Asian cuisine, and especially love spicy foods and sour, vinegar based pickled goods. After one tasting, I immediately set out to try making my own! This recipe has been developed from several across the net, as well as my own trial and error, and to my own taste.

INGREDIENTS:

4 c. Chicken Broth
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/2 c. Diced Mushrooms
1/2 Tbsp. Sriracha Sauce
1/8 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Powder
1/4 tsp. Ground Pepper
1/4 c. White Vinegar
1 Egg, beaten
2 Green Onions, chopped

Bring chicken broth to a boil, add soy, mushrooms, sriracha, garlic, cayenne and pepper. Simmer for 5 mins, then add vinegar and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Slowly pour beaten egg into broth, and stir for 30 seconds. Add green onion, remove from heat and serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

*You can make a milder version by omitting the cayenne, and using half white and half rice wine vinegar.

DEHYDRATING: Onions and Garlic

Onions and garlic are in just about everything- soups, sauces, meat marinades and rubs... Dehydrating your own at home is a simple, money saving process!

Onions and garlic are dehydrated much in the same way as mushrooms - there is no need to blanch them before drying. You will process the raw produce depending on what end product you'd like- Whole? Minced? Powdered? I personally prefer simply slicing them, and drying whole for versatility. 

Be warned that some people find the scent of drying onion and garlic overpowering! (Personally, I like it!) You may choose to set up in a room with the door shut, or in a garage on warmer days.

PROCESS:

Bulb Onions, Leeks and Garlic:

Set dehydrator on 135 degree vegetable setting for bulb onions and garlic. 

Slices: Slice onion/garlic about 1/8" thick. No need to separate the individual rings.  8-10 hours process time (save time on prep, but longer time in the dehydrator).

Minced: You may either chop the raw onion before placing in the dehydrator (a food processor works well), or dehydrate as above, then crush into smaller pieces as needed. 6-8 hours process time.

Powdered: Use a rocket blender to grind dried product into powder.

Be aware that onion will not re-hydrate to original texture. I do not recommend using re-hydrated onion slices on sandwiches and burgers!

Green Onions and Chives:

Set dehydrator on the 95 degree herb setting for bunching onions and chives.

Slice into 1/4" long pieces. Process for about 6-8 hours.

Store all your dehydrated produce in clean glass jars with an airtight lid. For a longer shelf life, you may add an oxygen absorber to the jars, or use a food saver with jar attachment!

*For large batch onion processing, I recommend using a mandoline slicer and/or food processor. We use a Norpro Mandoline Slicer and a Hamilton Beach 8-Cup Food Processor .

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: Cream of... Soup Base

I think perhaps it'd be impossible to calculate the number of recipes calling for "Cream of (insert chicken, mushroom, celery, etc. here) Soup". But, what if you don't have any on hand, or wish to avoid the high levels of sodium and food preservatives in store-bought canned soups? By simply using the main ingredient of your choice, the applications for this simple recipe are endless! 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 Small Onion, Diced
1/2 c. *Main Ingredient, Diced
1/4 c. Unsalted Butter
1/4 c. White Flour
1 c. Whole Milk
3/4 c. *Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

*Main Ingredient Suggestions: Mushrooms, Celery, Chicken, Asparagus, Broccoli, Potato
*Chicken Broth may be substituted with Vegetable Broth for Vegetarian/Vegan diet.


PREPARATION:

Sautee garlic, onion, and main ingredient in olive oil, set aside. Melt butter in pan over medium heat, whisk in flour until smooth, and cook for 2 minutes. Add broth, milk, and sauteed main ingredient. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*This recipe makes an amount equivalent to one 11.25 oz can of unprepared condensed national brand soup for substitution in recipes. Add an additional 1 1/3 c. milk to prepare soup as a stand-alone meal. May be frozen for later use.

RECIPE: Pickled Eggs

When you've got 15 laying hens, there are times there is an over-abundance of eggs. This recipe was a hit with the husband. They can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

INGREDIENTS:

12 Eggs, boiled/peeled

4 c. Vinegar

1 Small Onion, chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, whole

1/3 c. Sugar

1 Tbsp. Pickling Spices

1/2 tsp. Black Peppercorns

1 tsp. Dill Weed

Fill a sterile quart jar with eggs. Combine all other ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Pour boiling brine over eggs, secure with a new canning lid, and process in a hot bath canner for 15 minutes. Makes 1 doz eggs.

HERBAL MEDICINE: Carrie's Cold & Flu Upper Respiratory Concoction

I swear by this "concoction" if used at the first sign of illness. The ingredients contain natural antibiotic, antiseptic, and decongestant  properties. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 c. Broth 

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic, whole (no substitutions)

1 Sprig Fresh Oregano (or 1/4 tsp dried)

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Powder

Pour boiling broth over other ingredients, cover and steep for about 10 minutes. Sip broth, be sure to EAT THE GARLIC cloves. Oregano leaves are edible as well.

RX: 3 times daily at the first onset of symptoms up to three days. See a doctor if illness persists more than three days or immediately in case of high grade fever.

*Any flavor broth can be used, homemade or with powdered. I prefer Knorr Tomato with Chicken.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES:

GARLIC: Antibiotic, antiseptic (internal and external), antimicrobial, antioxidant. When garlic is chewed or crushed, the compound Alliin combines the enzyme Allinase, and a powerful antibiotic chemical Allicin is formed. Allicin boosts production of white blood cells, strengthening the immune system. Garlic is also kills the bacteria which causes stomach ulcers, treats intestinal worms, and can aid in healing mild skin infections when juice is applied topically.

OREGANO: Antiseptic (internal and external), antibacterial, fungicide, disinfectant, antioxidant. Oregano contains Carvacol and Thymol, which have antibacterial, antiseptic and fungicidal properties. It soothes sore throat, can aid in cough suppression, and when served in a steamy broth, can open sinus passages. Oregano contains a plethora of vital nutrients, too, such as Vitamins B3 and B6, Potassium, Zinc, Iron, and Protein!

CAYENNE: External and internal pain reliever, antibacterial, decongestant. Capsaicin in the active ingredient in Cayenne. When used to treat upper respiratory symptoms, it helps alleviate headache, open sinus passages, and soothes sore throat. Topical ointments made from Cayenne are used for natural treatment of joint and muscle pain, too. Cayenne can also prevent and heal ulcers by killing off the bacteria that causes them.

***All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions.***