Jiggly "Not Bone Broth" Stock

Bahan-bahan

10lbs of beef neck bones

enough water to fully submerge the bones plus two inches above

1/4 lb chopped celery

1/4 lb chopped carrots

1/2 lb chopped onions

1 sprig of thyme

8 cracked peppercorns

1 bay leaf

salt if you plan to drink it

Arahan

Thoroughly rinse your bones in warm water. You want to let them sit in the water, swish them around with your hands, drain off the water, and repeat until it runs clear. Blood has a metallic taste that makes the broth taste worse so we want to get rid of all of that.

Once the bones are completely washed, pat them dry and lay them out on a baking sheet with lots of space between them.

Preheat the oven to 375 and roast your bones for about an hour, flipping halfway through so both sides get color. Most of the liquid should be cooked off, and they should be brown and smell fragrant and toasty. If they don’t seem ready, keep roasting.

Remove the bones from the oven and add them to a large stockpot. To minimize evaporation, you want a pot that’s taller than it is wide. I like this one.

Add the roasted bones to the pot and cover with water. The water level should be about two inches above the bones at all times.

Turn the heat on low and let cook for about 6 hours. DO NOT LET IT BOIL.

Periodically add water so the bones remain covered.

Using a mesh skimmer, gently skim the scum that rises to the surface off and discard it.

If you don’t want fat in your broth, you can also use a spoon or a ladle to skim the fat off.

Peel and chop your carrots. Chop your celery. Dice your onion. Add those into the stock.

Traditionally, you’d make a sachet of the thyme, peppercorn, and bay leaf, but since we’re straining, I think this step is dumb. To make things easier, add the peppercorn, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot with your chopped vegetables.

Gently mix the vegetables and herbs in and continue cooking on low for another hour.

Use a slotted spoon or scooper to scoop out most of the bones and vegetables.

Pour the remaining stock through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. If you want it extra clear, repeat this process with fresh cheesecloth.

Mix in about a tablespoon of sea salt if you plan to drink the stock as a beverage.

Let the mixture cool, transfer to deli containers, and store in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for 6 months.