I love Easter, and as a Greek tradition, my family always has lamb at our Easter feast. This year was my turn to prepare the lamb - a feat I had never tried before. I cooked the entire meal and gave my mom the day off from cooking. I had such a blast doing all the cooking, and the meal was amazing! After we picked the lamb clean, I was feeling bad about throwing away the lamb bone because there was so much goodness still left on it, even though it was in little pieces. My mom suggested I boil it and make a lamb broth. So that's just what I did.
Recipe: Lamb Bone Broth
The great thing about broths is you can use pretty much anything you have on hand to put in the broth. Any veggies, spices, etc will work to help flavor your broth. I used carrots, celery, and onion and no spices. I wanted the flavor of the lamb to speak for the broth...that and my lamb was already seasoned from the meal. To make this broth, I used filtered water from my refrigerator. Everything I saw online suggested filtered water because any extra minerals in the water can affect the taste of the broth. I've made broths with tap water before and never had a problem, so its entirely up to you.
I choose to make this in a crock pot so that it can simmer as long as I want it to, without the risk of an open flame in my kitchen (we have a gas stove). It's a lengthy process but oh, so worth it!
Ingredients:
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
1 onion, quartered
1 lamb bone - I used a leg bone, but you can use any bone
Enough water to cover the bone by 2 inches
Crock pot
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Procedure:
1. Using a heavy knife, split the lamb bone at the knee (if using a leg). If you have a knife heavy enough to cut the bone into 2 inch pieces, do that. If not, just cutting at the knee will work.
2. Place the bone in the crock pot, and add the veggies. Pour enough water over the top of the bone to cover it by 2-inches. The vegetables will float.
3. Add the apple cider vinegar to the pot and give it a little stir. Cover and allow to sit for an hour - this draws the calcium out of the bone.
4. After an hour, give the broth another stir and then turn the crock pot to low. Let simmer for 48 hours, stirring occasionally. This is why a crock pot is handy. You can literally set it and forget it. You'll notice after about 12 hours, that the broth is darker and may be starting to simmer. This is when it gets good. The longer it simmers, the darker the broth, the more tasty it becomes.
5. After 48 hours, turn off the crock pot. Strain the broth through a sieve using a ladle.
6. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool. This will cause the broth to solidify and all of the fat to rise to the top.
NOTE: If the broth doesn't solidify, that's ok. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. It just means you didn't tap into the marrow in the middle of the bone. Mine didn't solidify.
7. Once cooled, scrape off the congealed fat. Feel free to put the remaining broth back in the refrigerator to allow more fat to come off. I left mine in the fridge for 24 hours.
|
| Eww! |
8. Spoon the broth into a large saucepan, a little at a time to melt it down. Skip this step if your broth didn't solidify. Mine didn't.
I took cup sized portions, put them into ziplock freezer bags, and placed them on a cookie sheet in my freezer. The broth will last 6 months to a year in the freezer
|
| 11.5 cups of broth! Just under 3 quarts! |
Enjoy!
Oh, and just because I think its really funny, this is what the bone looks like after simmering for 48 hours. The knee literally fell apart as the connective tissue holding it together disintegrated.
So now what? You've got all this broth. What can you use it for? Well, you can substitute this broth in any recipe. Or, you can do what we're doing and make this:Leftover Lamb Curry. Come back tomorrow for my review of this recipe!
FAQs
This is an easy way to consume extra protein and nutrients. Another huge benefit of lamb bone broth is that it is an environmentally friendly product and it helps prevent food waste. It uses the lamb bones that you would otherwise not eat, yet are full of amazing nutrients.
What do you do with lamb bone broth? ›
Here are some health benefits of using bone broth.
- Protect your joints.
- Heal and seal your gut.
- Help in sleeping.
- Keep your collagen strong.
- Increase bone strength.
- Support Immune system.
Making bone broth is a great way to use up any left over trimmings and bones from a lamb roast. You could also use those pesky neck chops or even the shanks would be ideal. If you are using chops or shanks to ensure maximum flavor I would recommend to roast them for 30 minutes in the oven first.
What stock should I use with lamb? ›
Lamb is quite a strong flavour, so can withstand plenty of flavourings. Most recipes use chicken or vegetable stock, as lamb stock can be too strong for this quantity.
What is the disadvantage of bone broth? ›
"Depending on how it's made or what's in it, (bone broth) could have large amounts of sodium. That's the only downside," says Zumpano. Some types of bone broth can pack up to 500 milligrams of sodium per cup, which can add up quickly.
What animal is healthiest for bone broth? ›
Beef bones are more dense than chicken bones, which yields a higher concentration of minerals and collagen compared to chicken. The high concentration of minerals may help boost energy levels and provide extra nourishment.
What not to add to bone broth? ›
According to Baraghani, a good bone broth doesn't need much more than bones and a few choice aromatics, like onions, garlic, and black pepper. "Don't even get me started on carrots," he says, which add sweetness.
What does lamb bone broth taste like? ›
This lamb broth is hearty and flavorful, with the prominent taste of lamb, complemented by the sweetness of the vegetables and the herbal notes of rosemary and thyme. It serves as a versatile base for various lamb-based dishes, soups, and stews.
Should I rinse bones before making broth? ›
Gather the marrow bones and rinse them clean. Place the rinsed bones in a large pot and fully submerge them in water. Bring the water to a boil on high heat. You don't want to cook the bones at this time.
What makes lamb taste better? ›
It's such a distinctive flavor that it pairs well with nice, strong spices, as well as herbs. Coriander, fennel, garlic, shallot, ginger, lemon peel --I think those work really nicely with lamb. There are other herbs that are traditionally paired with lamb, like mint.
It can be traditionally roasted but is best slow-roasted, pot-roasted or braised with liquid until practically falling apart. Shoulder can also be diced for stewing, or cut into shoulder chops. A pre-sliced roast is convenient, but it tends to dry out in the oven.
Which bones make the best broth? ›
To add nutritional value, use a variety of bones: marrow bones, oxtail, knuckles, and feet. Adding vinegar is important because it helps pull all of the valuable nutrients out of the bones and into the water, which is ultimately what you will be consuming.
What does Gordon Ramsay serve with lamb? ›
This simply prepared (it's rubbed in a paste of just Dijon mustard, garlic, and herbs) rack of lamb is best served with equally unfussy vegetable sides, like grilled asparagus or baby artichokes.
Does lamb get more tender the longer you cook it? ›
The leg and rack of lamb are perfect for herb-crusting and oven-roasting; since the shank and shoulder are a bit tougher, they fare well in stews or braises—the long cook time allows them to significantly break down and become fork-tender.
What spices are best with lamb? ›
When thinking about pairing herbs with lamb, these flavours are at the top of the list:
- Rosemary and lamb. With its woody flavour, rosemary is the perfect companion for your favourite lamb dish. ...
- Mint and lamb. ...
- Oregano and lamb. ...
- Thyme and lamb.
Like the types of bones, the age of the animal will offer different benefits to your broth. Younger animals (such as lamb and veal) will offer much more gelatin, whereas older animals like beef have accumulated more minerals over their lifespan.
What is the best meat for bone broth? ›
Beef bone broth: Use grass-fed beef bones. The best ones to use for beef broth are meaty bones and bones that have a lot of tissue and cartilage or marrow like oxtail, shanks, and knuckles. Pork bone broth: For pork broth, ribs and the neck bones work well, as well as cartilage-rich pig's feet.
Does lamb broth have collagen? ›
Promotes Healthy Skin and Coat: Because our broths are rich in collagen, the building blocks of the body, they help promote coat and skin health. Liver Health: Because our broths contain the amino acid Glycine, they can help cleanse and promote a healthy liver.
Do lamb bones have a lot of collagen? ›
Meats such as pork, lamb, and beef
Animals use collagen in their bodies the same way we do. They need it for their skin, bones, ligaments, and tendons. That being said, meat is high in collagen. These high-protein meats contain natural collagen, as well as the amino acids needed to produce collagen.
