How to cook meat broth correctly

Making meat broth

It's hard to imagine home cooking without delicious and golden meat broth. It is not bad as an independent dish and is the basis for making soups, jellied meats, porridges, meat and vegetable stews, gravies and sauces. Chicken broth is traditionally used to cure a lingering cough, and in order for children to enjoy this “medicine”, the broth must be appetizing and rich. It’s not so difficult to cook a tasty meat broth if you know some tricks and don’t skimp on meat.

How to prepare meat broth: which meat to choose

For beef broth, always choose meat from bulls whose age does not exceed 3 years. Veal cooks quickly and is perfect for broth, as it is healthy, soft, juicy, lean and contains a lot of collagen, which releases gelatin when cooked. The best pork for broth is lean and tender meat from bacon pigs with a very thin layer of fat, and lamb must be fresh and soft. Chicken broth is made from freshly farmed chickens that have been raised without hormones, drugs, and have not been frozen. This is especially important if the broth is intended for baby food or for maintaining strength during illness. Bunny, poultry and its offal, offal, meat bones and smoked meats are excellent for broth. The introduction of various types of meat makes the broth more delicious and rich.

The best pieces for concentrated meat broth

The most delicious broth comes from meat with connective tissue (a set of different and interacting tissues form organs) , which releases gelling substances into the broth, making it rich and thick. Cuttings from different parts of an animal carcass differ in quality and nutritional value, so experienced chefs can find the “professional suitability” of meat at first glance. Beef brisket, ham and neck, pork and lamb shoulder, lamb ribs, shanks, brisket and neck are perfect for broth. Bunny and poultry for broth can be cooked completely or in parts, it all depends on your culinary preferences. It is best to use fresh meat, but it is not always possible to purchase it, so meat from the freezer will do. The main thing is that it is defrosted according to all the rules at room temperature.

How to put meat in water

Perfect if you cook the broth using spring, well, filtered or bottled water, which must be soft. This is one of the secrets of making a delicious broth. So, well-washed pieces of meat are poured with cool water and the pan is placed on the fire. Why do we take specifically cool water and not boiling water? The fact is that when heated slowly, the meat releases extractive substances and saturates the broth with them. If you immerse the meat in hot water, the proteins immediately coagulate, and a film immediately appears on the surface of the meat. It turns out that all the nutrients remain in the pulp. In this case, the meat comes out tender, juicy and fragrant, and the taste of the broth, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired.

For this reason, for an appetizing broth, meat is poured only with cool water, and at the same time, it should not be cut into small pieces. The meat must release its juices slowly in order to enrich the taste of the broth. The more water, the less concentrated the broth will be - usually take up to 3 liters for 1 kg of meat with bones. water.

How to cook clear meat broth

To make the broth transparent, some housewives soak the meat for several hours in cool water beforehand, and then cook it after draining the old water. Naturally, the water will evaporate during the boiling process, but you should not add it, otherwise the broth will become cloudy and its taste will disappoint you.

Do not allow the water to boil violently and skim off the foam just in time, which will settle to the bottom in large ugly flakes, and the broth will lose its appetizing appearance. Onions or eggshells give a good effect - they are added to the water first of cooking. After the broth is ready, you must strain it, otherwise it will be cloudy. And, by the way, if you cook the broth only from boneless sliced meat, it will turn out much clearer.

Vegetables, spices and herbs

Traditional additives for making meat broth include carrots, celery root and onions. For taste, you can add turnips, garlic, cloves, dark peppercorns, various roots and tied bunches of herbs. The French flavor the broth with the famous “Bouquet garni” seasoning, which includes thyme, leek, bay leaf and parsley. If you first fry the vegetables in a frying pan without oil or bake them in the oven, the taste and smell of the broth will be most unusual and catchy. Vegetables are added half an hour before the dish is ready. It is curious that if you add onion skins to the water, the broth will acquire a golden color, and a piece of dry cheese will give it an unusual piquancy.

A few subtleties of cooking broth

Before boiling, the pan is tightly closed with a lid, and later it is cooked without a lid, so that drops of evaporating water do not spoil the taste of the dish. Fat that appears on the surface is usually removed, and not only for dietary purposes. The fact is that a huge amount of fat gives the broth a nasty oily-soapy taste. But don’t rush to part with this valuable product—you can use it to fry vegetables to season soups.

It’s great if the pan has thick walls and a bottom. This way the broth will cook moderately and slowly, which will improve its taste and smell. It’s better to add salt at the very end; you don’t understand how much water will boil away during the cooking process, and it will be very disappointing if the broth turns out to be too salty.

How long does it take to prepare the broth? Already, appetizing smells are spreading throughout the apartment, and the stomach begins to growl treacherously, and the household members look impatiently at the clock - when is it time for lunch? Veal and hare broth is cooked for up to 1.5 hours, until beef or smoked meat is ready you will have to wait longer - 2.5–3 hours, pork - up to 2.5 hours, chicken - 1-2 hours, and lamb - up to 2 hours . The main thing is not to overdo it, as overcooked broth acquires a nasty taste.

Another way to check the readiness of the broth is to pierce the meat with a knife. If the knife goes into the flesh easily, it means the meat is cooked and you can separate it from the bones. The bones are usually boiled for some more time, and the meat is either cut into pieces and returned to the pan, or left for making a second dish. After straining the broth, the bones, vegetables and spices are thrown away - they have created their own business and given the dish vitamins (a group of low-molecular organic compounds of relatively simple structure and varied chemical nature) , nutrients, taste and smell.

If you don’t have time and need to cook a quick meat broth, you can make it from minced chicken, beef, lamb or pork. Manufacturing development remains the same, but the time is reduced to half an hour. True, it is better to let the broth brew for 20 minutes, and then serve it. In a slow cooker, meat broth takes the same amount of time to cook, but the manufacturing process is greatly simplified. You will still have to remove the foam, since scientific and technological progress has not yet gone far enough to entrust this important task to technology, even the smartest.

Meat broth - the best recipes. How to cook meat broth correctly and tasty.

Meat broth - general principles of production

Meat broths can be prepared from any meat (beef, pork, veal, etc.). The main difference between meat broth and chicken broth is that it takes much longer to cook and comes out the fattest. Meat broths are used to make various soups, cabbage soup, borscht and other first and second courses. The most common method for preparing soup based on meat broth is to add vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions, etc.) and seasonings. Peppercorns, bay leaves, herbs, and roots are added to the broth. For richness and flavor, you can add tomato paste, lecho or other sauce to the soup. For two to three liters of broth, one medium onion, medium-sized carrot and several stalks of celery are enough. Meat broths are perfectly mixed with leeks, parsnips, and turnips.

Meat broths can also be prepared with mushrooms, rice, millet, pasta, meatballs, etc. The taste of meat broth mainly depends on the meat used. It must certainly be the freshest. For beef soups, it is better to take young beef (no older than 3 years). This meat is very juicy, soft and least fatty. To make first courses in meat broths, you need to take meat on the bones; during the cooking process, the bones release a huge amount of extracts that make the soup fragrant and rich.

For pork broths, it is best to use a shoulder blade; for beef broths, necks and briskets are suitable; to cook lamb soup, you can use a shoulder blade, medallions or brisket. The time for making meat broth depends on the size of the pieces and the hardness of the meat. For young meat, an hour and a half is enough; for the oldest meat, the cooking time increases to 2-3 hours.

Meat broth - preparation of goods and utensils

To make meat broth, you will need a large saucepan, a frying pan, a cutting board, knives for cutting and cutting meat, and gauze for straining.

Before production, the meat must be washed and cut, the vegetables must be washed, peeled and chopped. Prepare the required amount of herbs, spices and seasonings.

Meat broth recipes:

Recipe 1: Meat broth

Take note of this recipe as a base for any first course. Add new ingredients every time - and you will get completely different dishes. With this broth you can simply cook cabbage soup, borscht, and various soups.

Required ingredients:

Beef and pork - in equal parts;
Onions and carrots - for taste (optional);
Spices (salt, pepper;
Bay leaf;
Water - about 3 liters..

Manufacturing method:

First, let's process the meat: wash it and cut off the veins and skins. It is better to take the meat on the “sweet bone” - the soup will be rich and rich. We put the pieces in a huge saucepan and pour water into it (take water according to the amount of meat and the desired concentration of broth). Place the pan on the stove. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat and skim off the foam with a slotted spoon. Peel the onion with carrots and throw them into the pan; if desired, you can also add roots. Add bay leaf (1-2 pcs.). It is not allowed to specify a specific time for how long the meat broth should be cooked - it first depends on the properties of the meat itself. On average, the broth needs to be cooked for about an hour and a half (more from time to time) over low heat. Check the readiness of the meat with a knife. At the end of cooking, it is necessary to remove the vegetables and bay leaves - they will no longer be useful to us, because they have already given all their taste and fragrant properties. Place the meat on a plate and remove from the bones, cut into portions. Strain the broth. Then you can add any ingredients: vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, etc. When serving meat broth, place pieces of meat on plates.

Recipe 2: Meat broth in a slow cooker

A multicooker not only replaces a lot of kitchen utensils, but also significantly simplifies the manufacturing process. Just prepare all the products, place them in the device, set the mode and go about your business. Meat broth from a slow cooker is no worse than one prepared using the usual method on the stove.

Required ingredients:

Meat (one or two types) – we take it depending on the desired richness;
Onion;
Carrot;
Dark pepper;
Salt;
Lavrushka.

Manufacturing method:

Wash the meat properly, cut it into pieces, and put it in a slow cooker. We clean the onions and carrots. Cut the carrots into circles and place them in the slow cooker after the meat; add the onion completely. Throw in bay leaf, pepper and other spices. Fill all the ingredients with water; usually for broths, pour water to the highest mark. Set the “stewing” mode for one and a half hours (for the hardest meat, the time can be increased). After the broth is cooked, strain it from the vegetables, bay leaves and pepper. Rich meat broth is ready!

Recipe 3: Meat broth with vegetables

A very tasty meat broth, which is prepared with vegetables: carrots, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and zucchini. They also use sauce, which gives the soup a rich taste and smell.

Required ingredients:

Carrot;
Lukovka;
½ zucchini;
Tomato;
Half a glass of lecho;
Two cloves of garlic;
Several potatoes;
Greenery;
Salt;
Pepper;
One and a half liters of meat broth.

Manufacturing method:

We clean the vegetables, remove the skin from the tomato (to do this, scald it with boiling water). Cut the onion into thin half rings. We cut the potatoes, carrots and zucchini into strips, finely chop the garlic, cut the tomato into small pieces. After the broth boils, throw the potatoes into it. After a couple of minutes, add the carrots and onions. A little later, add garlic and zucchini. Later add lecho with tomato and herbs. At the end, salt and pepper the meat broth to taste. Boil until all the vegetables are ready and leave to infuse.

Recipe 4: Meat broth with herbs and eggs

Regular meat broth with greens and eggs. A very light and satisfying first dish, which does not require a lot of ingredients to make.

Required ingredients:

A kilogram of beef (pulp);
0.25 kg bones;
Lukovka;
Carrot;
Parsley roots;
Boiled eggs;
Salt;
Pepper;
Greenery.

Manufacturing method:

Fill the bones with water and start cooking, occasionally removing the noise. Cook the broth for about an hour, then add pieces of meat and skim off the foam. Salt the soup after a couple of minutes, continue to cook the broth until the meat is soft. We cut the roots with onions and put them in the oven to bake for half an hour. Place the baked vegetables in the soup half an hour before the end of cooking. Strain the finished meat broth and season with pepper. Serve with half a boiled egg and chopped herbs.

Recipe 5: Meat broth with rice

Another version of a hearty second course based on meat broth. For taste, rice, vegetables, herbs and spices are used here.

Required ingredients:

A kilogram of meat on the bone;
Rice;
Potatoes - several pieces;
Onion;
Carrot;
80 g rutabaga;
45 g fat;
Parsley root;
Allspice;
Bay leaf;
Parsley;
Dill;
Salt.

Manufacturing method:

We wash the rice and place it in the soup after the meat is cooked. We cut onions, carrots, rutabaga, parsley roots into strips. Fry the vegetables in oil together with bay leaves and aromatic peas. Add vegetable dressing and potatoes to the soup. At the end, add the greens. Cook until all goods are ready.

Meat broth - secrets and useful tips from the best chefs

– It is better to take meat for broths on the bones – the soup will be the richest and richest;

– The finished meat broth must be strained. Only in this way does it come out unsullied and transparent;

– Spices must be added at the end of production. At first, while cooking the broth, you can add a little salt; at the end, you need to test the soup and if there is not enough salt, add more salt;

– Particular attention must be paid to water. It is recommended to take clean water: spring water, from a well, filtered or purchased in bottles. The liquid does not have to be very hard, otherwise the meat will not be able to provide all its flavor properties. For a kilogram of meat pulp, usually take two or three liters of water. It depends on how fatty and concentrated you want the broth to be;

– When cooking meat broth, it is necessary to take into account that some of the water will certainly boil away. Therefore, water must be taken taking this factor into account.

How to cook tasty meat broth. Recipe – 4 methods

Ingredients

We all understand very well that meat broth is not only very nutritious, but also very good for health. Meat broths are also an excellent base for almost all dishes in all cuisines of the world.

Various soups, gravies, sauces are prepared from meat broths, and can also be served as an independent dish. Therefore, it is very important to be able to prepare a good meat broth, so that it can become a truly good basis for your culinary creations.

What to cook meat broth with?

To make a good broth, you need to choose meat with bones . It is from them that the fat comes out, from time to time it even makes sense to use ordinary soup sets sold in meat departments.

Meat cut into small portions is not suitable for cooking broth. This way you will get dry meat in plates, and not a juicy and soft appetizing piece in a spoon. Meat should be cut after cooking. This is very important!

In our article we consider meat broth cooked on the bone (even better if with cartilage - it is very useful for human bones and joints). You can use any kind of meat for broth:

beef, beef ribs, legs, etc.
pork is better without fat, on the bone, pork ribs, legs
lamb (also with bone)
veal
game meat (varies slightly in its own toughness, so we cook it longer for an hour to an hour and a half)
rabbit meat

Meat broth recipe

There are different methods for making meat broths, I suggest you choose one of them or use different methods depending on the purpose for which you are preparing the broth. If you want to cook broth from meat with the least amount of bones and at the same time keep the meat very juicy, you should use production method No. 2.

So, meat broth! How to cook meat broth?

INGREDIENTS:

0.5 kg of meat;
1.5 liters of cool water;
1 onion;
1 carrot;
salt,
peppercorns,
Bay leaf.

Meat broth - Production method No. 1

Wash the meat well, put it in a pan with cool water and put it on fire.

When the water boils, remove the foam from the broth and reduce the heat.

Peel the carrots and onions and, without cutting them , place them in the pan.

Add spices to the broth.

Cook the meat broth until tender over low heat, about 2 hours, then remove the vegetables and meat with a slotted spoon. Strain the broth through 2 - 3 layers of gauze, add salt to taste.

Meat broth - Production method No. 2

With all this manufacturing method, you must first bring the water to a boil .

After this, put the previously defrosted, washed meat (especially if it is virtually or completely boneless) into boiling water.

Now you need to reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. It is very important not to let the meat boil! Simmer the meat in this way for 2-3 hours.

Add vegetables, bay leaf and pepper to the pan. It is better to salt the broth with this method of production 20 - 30 minutes before the end of cooking.

When the meat is lowered into boiling water, the top layer is “baked” and the meat juice remains inside, so the meat comes out juicier than with the first cooking method. Also, thanks to this, scale does not appear in the broth, and if the broth does not boil, it will turn out transparent and will not require straining.

Meat broth - Production method No. 3

Place the defrosted, washed meat in a pan with cool water and put on fire.

Wait until the water boils, let the meat cook, but not more than 2 - 3 minutes.

After this, you need to remove the meat, pour out the broth, wash the pan and pour cool water again, then put the meat back into the pan.

Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat so that the broth does not boil, but “simmers.” Now you need to add whole vegetables and spices to the broth (I put onions in their skins and carrots completely), and cook until the meat is completely cooked.

The readiness of meat in broth is checked by how easily it comes off the bone. You have to go away completely, not like jellied meat, but quite simply.

Meat broth - Production method No. 4

Wash defrosted or freshly cooled meat, add cool water and put on fire. After the water boils, remove the

noku, cook over medium heat. To prevent the broth from boiling too much, cover the pan lid. Cook for 1 hour.

The fundamental difference between method 4 is the preparation of vegetables for cooking together with meat in broth. We also take carrots and onions (or maybe celery or parsley root). We clean the carrots and cut them lengthwise so that we get a flat part (you can cut them into 4 parts for convenience). Peel the onion and cut it in half.

You need to char the vegetables!

Then we bake in a dry frying pan and even lightly baste our vegetable cuts, without fear, until they turn black! The picture shows it slightly differently; the onion must be cut in half, not in rings, but the essence is clear. Place in a saucepan to cook with the meat. Throw in bay leaves and black peppercorns.

After 1.5 hours, throw away the vegetables, strain the broth, separate the meat from the bones, and cut it into portions. Let's add salt at the end or the soup.

Note to the owner!

When cooking, you can also add celery root and/or parsley root to the broth. After cooking, they will naturally need to be removed, just like vegetables, but they will give the broth a wonderful taste and smell.

If, when cooking the broth, you missed the moment when it was necessary to remove the foam and it sank down, just add a little cool water to the pan. This will cause the foam to rise to the surface of the broth again, and you can easily remove it.