[Sca-cooks] Duck bones, and other parts

[Gorgeous Muiredach]

>Okay, newbie cook question. (from Stefan, naw. :-) )

It's all right Stefan, it's all right. :-)

>I thought the reason you used the duck bones (or chicken or beef
>for that matter) to make stock was the meat that was still
>remaining on the bones. I'm assuming these bones have already
>been cleaned of all meat or they wouldn't keep.

There's always *some* bit of meat remaining on the bones, especially at the
joints.  Then there's the marrow in the bones.  Chicken bones, duck bones
won't have as much as big beef bones, but there still is good stuff in
there.  Then there's the cartilage which can give out some taste, but more
importantly it gives out the stuff that makes the stock gelatinous.  Of
course, this involves bones that are raw, that haven't been processed yet.

>So are you saying that if you just throw the bones in some water and
>boil them you will get some useable broth?

Well, that would be one way to do it...

But to make good brown stock, the stuff I'd use to make most sauces, I would:
Roast the bones until just before they get burned.  Add onions, whole
garlic, carrots, celery, roast those too.  Add water, a *little* tomato
paste, bay leaves, thyme, cloves, black pepper corn.  No salt.  Bring to a
boil.  Let it simmer slowly for a few hours.

I'll have to show you at Pennsic :-)  We can use our bones after the
butchering class <smile>

Gorgeous Muiredach
Rokkehealden Shire
Middle Kingdom
aka
Nicolas Steenhout
"You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry