FYI Bone Broth and Baby Food

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Harley Baby & Michele

Harley Baby & Michele

Member Since 2018
I wanted to get some Bone Broth to put on the canned food and as a side supplement. I do not like to cook anything more strenuous than Ramen Noodle soup so...….went to Trader Joe's to pick up their beef or chicken bone broth. Unfortunately, it contains onion. I'll need to research more soup broths for the kitties. Many baby foods also contain onion. I have found most only meat baby food is ok. I have used baby food in the past for upset kitty tummies.

Just an FYI that any form of onion is contraindicated in cats.
 
OK, I will admit I did make bone broth a few times in my crock pot. :oops: The first time I did not pre cook/rinse the marrow bones and the house STUNK! Next time I did pre simmer for a few minutes to get the crud off and no odor. I tried freezing in some large Mason jars as per the Internets instructions on numerous sites. All of the jars, 4, cracked. :banghead:

Mias' Mamma I will print out your recipe; I glanced at it briefly. Your freezer tips are more reasonable. Thank you!!

Drevon's Mamma: I will look for those products. Thank you!!

Oh...I also like cold, leftover pizza! Really do not like to cook! Some how or other I do manage to ingest healthy food. I have a friend who stores books in and on her stove and dishwasher. Her microwave has dust on it.:confused: Ah, the joys of being single. :D:D
 
Harley Baby & Michele said:
I tried freezing in some large Mason jars as per the Internets instructions on numerous sites. All of the jars, 4, cracked. :banghead:
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Not that I make a lot of bone broth, but--did you let the broth cool before freezing it? It sounds like a hot jar went into a cold fridge?
 
It really is so easy. I buy a big pack of chicken drumsticks and put them in a huge pot with water and a little bit of apple cider vinegar (maybe a couple of tablespoons) and let it simmer for about 24 hours. The hardest part is picking a time when you will be home 24 hours. Yeah, it starts to be a bit stinky, but not horribly so, and it's temporary. When it gets to the point that the chicken is cooked, if you want, you can get some of it out to give to your cat. (If you wait too long, it is gross, and they won't want it.) By the end, you will be able to cut into the bones with a spoon which is cool. :D I pour it through a colander into another pot and use a big spoon to press down on the 'stuff' to squeeze through the extra liquid. Then, I throw all that nasty stuff away. (I will say that because I choose to use whole drumsticks, I waste a lot of meat, but it's easier.) Because I am paranoid about choking my babies on a little bone piece or something, I then pour it through a little permanent coffee filter to make SURE there is nothing but liquid left. As it cools, the fat can be skimmed off the top and discarded. I then pour it into ice cube trays and freeze them. I put the cubes in Ziploc freezer bags. When I feed my girls, I pull out a cube and put I in a little cat bowl in the frig so that it will be thawed by the next meal. I use one cube of broth in each of their 4 daily meals.

When the broth has been done correctly, it turns to 'jelly' when it cools. If it is just liquid, you used too much water when making it. You want the bones to stay covered in water throughout the cooking process, but you do not want to keep adding water as it cooks off and have then deeply immersed throughout. I have found that if I fill the pot up pretty high at the beginning, I do not have to add any water during the 24 hours; it cooks down to be just right. I have also found that it is best to keep a good simmer going throughout the cooking; you don't want it completely still with no 'bubbles', but you also do not want a full-on boil going on.

Sorry, that was a lot of details, but I hope they help someone. :)
 
Arkali said:
Not that I make a lot of bone broth, but--did you let the broth cool before freezing it? It sounds like a hot jar went into a cold fridge?
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Nope, let it cool in fridge first.

PPCW said:
Don’t fill the broth all the way to the top. Liquid expands as it crystallizes so it needs room on the top for expansion or your jar will break.
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Yup, did that too. I have Kitchen issues. :(

So, with all this support, how could I not try making my own broth. I bought a family pack of 12 chicken legs, threw them in a pot, good splash apple cider vinegar and simmered for 4 hours. Geez, I am exhausted. I easily separated the meat from the bones and threw the bones and skin back in the water to simmer. I plan on putting the broth with bones in the crock pot overnight to continue cooking. I am afraid to leave the stove on over night.

I have never used a pressure cooker or instant pot as they slightly terrify me. :nailbiting: I do like the crock pot; fill it in the morning and ready for dinner.

Full disclosure: Harley, my little love bug, drives me nuts. Every now and then, a few times a week, he decides that I am trying to poison him and WILL NOT EAT THE FRISKIES PATE. He howls and sticks his face in my food, RUNS in the kitchen when the fridge opens, and otherwise acts like I am starving him to death. I finally gave in and allow him to eat the kibble; he picks at it and does not eat much. His blood sugars are still not quite right because of his "she is poisoning me today vs. it is safe to eat today" issues.

So after stage 1 of my bone broth adventure, I gave Harley some chicken. The little turd, um love bug, Devoured it then lapped up a bit of cooled broth. He ate a good 1/2 cup chicken. He is now passed out in splendid bliss on the couch.

I do hope the bone broth works for others who are struggling with eating issues.
 
Sandi & Whisper said:
Has anyone actually done this in an instant pot yet? According to this recipe (not that I would use this exact recipe...minus onions of course...was just looking at it for time) you would cook for two hours and then use natural pressure release.

https://www.mommypotamus.com/instant-pot-bone-broth-recipe/
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I always make my bone broth in the Instant Pot. I actually do 240 minutes, NPR and I get the best "jelly" when it's cooled and fat skimmed off. I do cook chicken for us, without seasoning and save the bones and meat scraps in a zip loc bag in the freezer. When I have enough, it's cookin' time. I strain it very well, like FurBabiesMama does, freeze it and use larger blocks of frozen broth in my soups made in the Instant Pot. We all get the nutrition and that wonderful flavor.
 
Sandi & Whisper said:
Thanks @Idjit's mom!
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Oh, you are very welcome. I am an Instant Pot fan. I don't have a stove any more, pitched the ancient thing out 2 summers ago. I use my Pot for so much, and had no idea cooking in it could be so simple and fun. I was always scared to death of the range top pressure cookers, but this is a breeze. I got a little counter top oven, an Oyama, and that has been terrific also. And...I will never clean a big old dirty oven again!!!!!
 
Idjit's mom said:
Oh, you are very welcome. I am an Instant Pot fan. I don't have a stove any more, pitched the ancient thing out 2 summers ago. I use my Pot for so much, and had no idea cooking in it could be so simple and fun. I was always scared to death of the range top pressure cookers, but this is a breeze. I got a little counter top oven, an Oyama, and that has been terrific also. And...I will never clean a big old dirty oven again!!!!!
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Totally agree. @Harley Baby & Michele , this electric pressure cooker really is foolproof. I bought a stovetop model years ago, and that thing did terrify me. I never really could get it to seal and it spewed water and steam all over once. But this kind has all kinds of safety features to tell you if it isn't sealed, or you don't have enough liquid and it is burning...not that I have ever done that of course... ;)
 
Hey @Sandi & Whisper Sure, I Never burn anything either! If you ever do happen to burn a pot or pan, but not that you ever will.....put a bit of baking soda and vinegar in it, low simmer on the stove for a few minutes to loosen the burnt bits, then wash it out. Sparkling new cookware!

I like the crock pot because I can set it on low and be gone all day. I only cook enough for 2 so really don't need anything fancy. But I do hear people really love the Instant Pot.
 
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