Marrow bones, Southern Suburbs, CT.

copacetic

copacetic

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Howdy,

I'm looking for a butcher in cape town that can supply marrow bones and, erm, connective tissue.

I want to make broth...
 
Thought you wanted some for your dog/s when I saw the thread :D

... here in PE most independent butchers will sort you out if you have a chat with them.
 
Try get free range/grass fed if you're into it for the health benefits. Bones from game would be first prize.

Start priming a fly trap so long. This stuff can smell if the bones aren't quite so fresh.
 
Remember to add a splash of cider vinegar when making the broth Copa, to help extract calcium from the bones.
 
"Sop e murg bene"
Speak to any butcher (even the ones at Pick 'n Pay, Checkers, etc.)
They'll have it on the shelves at times, but not very often.
 
Ask the people selling meat at farmers markets. A lot of it is grass-fed. Sure they'd be able to help.
 
So, I made some of this stuff - Ox knuckle, Lamb, err, feet (?) and beef marrow bones.

It's ****ing disgusting. Like drinking a distilled animal corpse.

I think I need to find really fresh and high quality bones for this to work. Farmers markets - Good idea, thanks.
 
copacetic said:
So, I made some of this stuff - Ox knuckle, Lamb, err, feet (?) and beef marrow bones.

It's ****ing disgusting. Like drinking a distilled animal corpse.

I think I need to find really fresh and high quality bones for this to work. Farmers markets - Good idea, thanks.
Click to expand...

Did you roast the bones first? If not you'll end up extracting some really acrid flavour notes which aren't all that pleasant.

Did you use aromatics? How long did you simmer for? At what temperature? It shouldn't boil - it should just barely simmer...
 
copacetic said:
So, I made some of this stuff - Ox knuckle, Lamb, err, feet (?) and beef marrow bones.

It's ****ing disgusting. Like drinking a distilled animal corpse.

I think I need to find really fresh and high quality bones for this to work. Farmers markets - Good idea, thanks.
Click to expand...

Fondly remembered from my childhood.....

NOT

:sick:
 
DJ... said:
Did you roast the bones first? If not you'll end up extracting some really acrid flavour notes which aren't all that pleasant.

Did you use aromatics? How long did you simmer for? At what temperature? It shouldn't boil - it should just barely simmer...
Click to expand...

This!!

Also what Veg did you use? note everything needs to be roasted.
 
DJ... said:
Did you roast the bones first? If not you'll end up extracting some really acrid flavour notes which aren't all that pleasant.

Did you use aromatics? How long did you simmer for? At what temperature? It shouldn't boil - it should just barely simmer...
Click to expand...

I did not roast them, but I did brown them in a pan. As for aromatics, I did not. I am not a good cook - I just tend to chuck everything in a pot and hope for the best. :o

I think the temp was indeed too high, and it simmered for about 16 hours...

In retrospect, it doesn't actually taste too terrible, it's just extraordinarily rich, which is the idea.
 
copacetic said:
I did not roast them, but I did brown them in a pan. As for aromatics, I did not. I am not a good cook - I just tend to chuck everything in a pot and hope for the best. :o
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that technique for stocks, but there are a few key techniques and prep processes to follow first before just chucking it all in and waiting for deliciousness to expose itself.

Aromatics are essential to a good stock. Onion, carrots, celery, a few black peppercorns, and bay leaves are the standard aromatics for most stocks. Dice them small for maximum surface area to extract the most flavour. Roast the bones first and sieve some skim milk powder on to the carcass/bones when you do this as well to bolster the meaty compounds via the Maillard reaction. Veg doesn't need roasting first but the onions could do with a sweat first (not a fry) before chucking in the pot to extract the sweetness without the overpowering harshness of white onions. Keep it just below simmer rather than a rolling boil to prevent acrid note flavour compounds from developing from the bones (especially important for seafood based stocks but the same applies to land animal based stocks). Even better cooked in a pressure cooker and allowed to cool completely before opening the lid. Do not season with salt if you want to have as clear a broth as possible. Season when you serve instead. Also remember that it cooks down, so seasoning levels should be adjusted after cooking the stock rather than before or during as it's very difficult to gauge the correct seasoning levels beforehand and as mentioned creates a cloudy stock. Also there's a distinct difference between a broth and a stock. A stock is typically not seasoned nor adjusted for eating on its own - it's a base for other dishes. A broth on the other hand is seasoned and can have wine, spices, herbs etc added too. A broth can basically be eaten on its own.

Follow the steps above and you're well on your way to stock-mastery. And don't forget to freeze your stock in ice-trays for easy use later on in most savoury dishes. Makes for really quick and delicious mid-week meals. Hope this helps...
 
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