soup meat

[sal]

I'm about to attempt homemade beef stock and my recipe calls for shank crosscuts. However, the local markets don't have any - I've asked the butchers and they just don't have them. What could I substitute? The markets don't have any marrow bones, either. I really don't feel like waiting until I see them - anyone have a suggestion? Thanks for your help. sally

[mightyh]

I looked up a few recipes and most don't specify the bones... Here's Martha's http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif


HOMEMADE BEEF STOCK


Makes 6 quarts

Homemade beef stock is far superior to store-bought, canned versions. Ask your butcher to saw the veal bones into smaller pieces.




8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 sprigs fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 pound beef stew meat, cubed
5 pounds veal bones, sawed into smaller pieces
1 large onion, peel on, quartered
2 large carrots, cut into thirds
2 stalks celery, cut into thirds
2 cups dry red wine

1. Heat the oven to 450º. Make a bouquet garni by wrapping parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth. Tie with kitchen twine, and set aside. Arrange meat, veal bones, onion, carrots, and celery in an even layer in a heavy roasting pan. Roast, turning every 20 minutes, until the vegetables and the bones are deep brown, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the meat, bones, and vegetables to a large stockpot, and set aside. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan, and discard. Place the pan over high heat on the stove. Add wine, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits; boil until the wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Pour all of the liquid into the stockpot.

2. Add 6 quarts of cold water to the stockpot, or more if needed to cover bones. Do not add less water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Add the reserved bouquet garni. Liquid should just bubble up to surface. Skim the foam from the surface, and discard. Simmer over the lowest possible heat for 3 hours; a skin will form on the surface of the liquid; skim off with a slotted spoon, and discard. Repeat as needed. Add water if at any time the level drops below the bones.

3. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Discard the solids. Transfer the bowl to an ice bath, and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Stock may be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 4 months. If storing, leave fat layer intact to seal the stock. Before using, remove the fat that has collected on the surface.

[Anne]

Hi Sal. I don't know if your markets would have them but try beef vertebrae or neck bones. We use the neck bones from deer for soup stock and they work great.

[Ohioan]

Chuck usually makes a good soup. But if you want the gelatinous quality that comes from bones, why not get a nice T-bone or other bone-in steak, cut off the meat for a grilled or broiled dish, and throw the bone into your soup pot?

Actually, I think Adele Davis used to recommend sweeping the debris off people's plates (bones, gristle, leftover veggies, etc.) into a stock pot -- she pointed out that the heat of the cooking stock would destroy any germs, and the stock would be strained at the end anyway -- but I was always too squeamish to try it. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif

Cheers,
Phoebe

[SandyM]

<blech>

[Wendy w]

I forgot about Adele. Eck! Is anyone here old enough to remember Euell Gibbons? He used to do those Grapenuts commercials where he said that many parts of pinecones are edible?

Btw: my Mother swears that oxtails make the best beef stock.

[sneezles]

Oxtails do make great stock and is probably as close as you'll get to shank bones.

Well, at least Euell was right about one part of the pine cone! Pine nuts!