broth

Easy Homemade Beef Broth Stock

A rich and flavorful homemade beef broth stock is one of the essential recipes every home cook should have in their array of kitchen cooking basics.

Back in the day there were recipes home cooks didn’t even have to think twice about how to make because they made the same dishes so often no recipe was needed. Cooking was done by touch, intuition, and repetition.

Remember when you’d ask grandma how she knew when the pie dough had enough moisture or how she could tell the chicken was cooked through? The answer was annoyingly cryptic and didn’t really help things when she replied, “You just know.”

But now, with pre-made ingredients and an avalanche of recipe options at our fingertips, we can make just about any style of cuisine without batting an eye. But as a byproduct of creating these dazzling Pinterest friendly meals, making some of the good-old, most commonly used basics, like homemade broths and stocks, has fallen out of favor.

It’s time to get back to the basics friends. Back to real good real food.

A few months ago I shared my recipe for the very best chicken stock because it seems that homemade broths and stocks are rarely on the must-make radar of today’s home cook. The reasons vary from assuming it takes way too much time to make them from scratch to being unsure what ingredients go in the dang recipe (and fyi it isn’t just the meat that matters, its the bones!)

That’s why I’m waving my foodie recipe wand and pulling the beefy secrets out of my hat so that….TADAAAA!!!! Your bone stock broth cure is here.

This post breaks it all down, with simple steps and fool-proof instructions that’ll put you on your way to making homemade beef stock with confidence. Let’s go.continue to the recipe… about Easy Homemade Beef Broth Stock

How to Make the Best Chicken Stock

This post has everything you-didn’t-even-know-that-you-need-to-know to make homemade chicken stock or broth on the stove, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Follow the same guidelines and steps for making turkey stock, too.

Just about every cook knows to keep at least one can or carton of chicken stock on hand. It’s a reliable pantry staple that many of us use on a weekly basis in everything from soups to gravies and stir-frys too.

While store-bought chicken stock work just fine in recipes that don’t call for much of it (or bouillon cubes when you’re in a real pinch), no one can deny there’s nothing like homemade chicken stock for adding the ultimate flavor.

It’s pure liquid gold.

Homemade chicken stocks and broths (and turkey too) lend a richness and complexity to dishes—particularly risottos, soups, stews—that the store-bought stuff simply can’t match. So if you find yourself with some leftover chicken bones from last night’s dinner and a little hands-off cooking time on your side, make a vat of rich, savory stock to stick in the fridge or freeze for later. Pinky swear, you won’t regret it.

Never made chicken stock before? Fret not, it’s actually incredibly easy. In fact, it’s really hard to mess up.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Chicken Stock

Miso Ramen Noodles

Today we’re announcing the winner of the Peko Peko, Family Friendly Japanese Cuisine cookbook giveaway. But first, a big round of thanks to the hard working and philanthropic foodies who put together Peko Peko including our friend Rachael of La Fuji Mama. If you haven’t purchased a cookbook to help Japanese relief efforts, please consider doing so.

And now, drumroll please…

photo > foodiecrush

Congratulations to…Lynx! You’re the winner of the Peko Peko cookbook thanks to your comment, ” my favorite Japanese dish is ramen with ‘soft’ boiled egg. Nothing beats perfectly cooked noodles topped with a glossy soft boiled egg.” Oh be still my ramen loving heart.

And now for the story of why you’re the chosen one. See for me, it started like this…

Mitsuwa Marketplace on Centinela and Venice Blvd was my first. It’s where I fell in love. Hard. With ramen.

Our torrid affair began in the grocery store’s food court. I was a bit shy, unsure of which food court stand would become my favorite suitor. I stood to the side, watching patron after patron quietly take their place at the head of the line and place their order.With a nod of the head, and a quick slight of hand, they were bestowed a golden ticket then deftly made their way to a sea of food court tables.

I gained courage. I made my move and I placed my order. And I waited.

And just when I thought the moment would never come, the man behind the counter sternly and succinctly called my number on the muffled loudspeaker. Heads turned, others glanced at their own tickets in hopes they were the chosen one. I rose to accept his gift with open chopsticks.

And there it was. Miso ramen. Adorned with tofu, fresh veggies, a slice of fish cake, half an egg and a tender slices of chasu. I twirled the noodles, I slurped the soft tofu, I dribbled the broth–that heavenly broth that I ate with abandon, not caring who saw us tangle our freshly made, perfectly cooked noodles.

And then, in a blink of an eye, it was gone.

Our affair lasted for several years, but oh too soon we were torn apart. We’re now separated by hundreds of miles of mountain ranges and mini malls but our memories will always remain.

And with each and every search for a new ramen to take his place, I always remember Santouka and Mitsuwa Marketplace—my first true noodle love.

For delicious ramen noodles to try at home, check out this Miso Ramen recipe from Peko Peko contributor Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen.

Or if you just need a quick fix, here’s my version.

5 from 2 votes

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broth

Easy Homemade Beef Broth Stock

How to Make the Best Chicken Stock

Miso Ramen Noodles

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:164]

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