Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been
using beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product
called Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want
to try a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it
was Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef
Base mixes.


While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.

thanks
Chet

On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:42:50 -0400, Chet > wrote:

> While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.

My go to cheese for just about anything is Jarlsberg. I always
substitute it for Gruyere. It works on onion soup too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarlsberg_cheese

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

"Chet" > wrote in message
...
>
> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been using
> beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product called
> Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want to try a
> Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it was Organic
> and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef Base mixes.
>
>
> While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.
>
> thanks
> Chet

Consider a blend of cheeses. Guyere is great, but adding some cheddar can
give it a little more zing. Jarlsberg is fairly common and good too.
Emmental is nice, but kind of mild.

"Chet" wrote

> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been using
> beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product called
> Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want to try a
> Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it was Organic
> and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef Base mixes.

I find the Mortons one (refridgerate type) to be worthwhile.

> While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.

I use different ones depending but I stick to a stronger flavored one. Mozz
is just too palid to pull this one off. Gouda (smoked and non-smoked) is a
decent choice. Feta is a bit too salty for me and blue cheese just the
wrong flavor. Favoired is a firm white (mild cheedar?) mixed with a
horseradish. That one works very nicely.

On 03/26/2011 01:42 PM, Chet wrote:
>
> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been using
> beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product called
> Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want to try
> a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it was
> Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef Base
> mixes.

Making your own beef stock is really super easy. I'd go that way if I
were you.

>
>
> While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.

No, it should be something harder, sharper, and more like Swiss cheese:
emmenthaler/emmentaler is a good choice, but even something like thin
shavings of good parmesan would be preferable to something mild like
mozzarella, I'd think.

Serene

--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

On Mar 26, 5:15*pm, Serene Vannoy > wrote:
>
>
> > While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> > Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> > mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.
>
> No, it should be something harder, sharper, and more like Swiss cheese:
> emmenthaler/emmentaler is a good choice, but even something like thin
> shavings of good parmesan would be preferable to something mild like
> mozzarella, I'd think.

When I was growing up I think most people used Swiss. I remember it
from the Downtown St. Louis Famous Barr store.
>
> Serene

--Bryan

i LOVED that store
"Bryan" > wrote in message
...
On Mar 26, 5:15 pm, Serene Vannoy > wrote:
>
>
> > While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> > Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> > mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.
>
> No, it should be something harder, sharper, and more like Swiss cheese:
> emmenthaler/emmentaler is a good choice, but even something like thin
> shavings of good parmesan would be preferable to something mild like
> mozzarella, I'd think.

When I was growing up I think most people used Swiss. I remember it
from the Downtown St. Louis Famous Barr store.
>
> Serene

--Bryan

On Mar 26, 4:42*pm, Chet > wrote:
> * * Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been
> using beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product
> called Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want
> to try a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it
> was Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef
> Base mixes.
>
> While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.
>
> * * thanks
> * * * Chet

If you want to go low brow, get some of that grated Parmesan that they
sell, mix it up to form a paste with the onion soup broth. Then spoon
it onto a rusk/crouton and throw it onto the top of your soup bowl.
Broil it. It's actually very good tasting.

On 3/26/2011 4:42 PM, Chet wrote:
>
> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been using
> beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product called
> Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want to try
> a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it was
> Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef Base
> mixes.
>
>
> While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
> Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
> mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.

I love making fresh French onion soup! I use Swiss cheese in place of
Guyere.

"cshenk" > wrote in message
...
> "Chet" wrote
>
>> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been
>> using beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product
>> called Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want
>> to try a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it
>> was Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef
>> Base mixes.
>
> <snip>
>
>
We use "Better than Bouillon" beef and chicken. I think the beef version is
OK, though I don't think there is a decent commercial beef "mix". Making
beef "essence" or stock is expensive to the point where producers add this
and that to create a beefy taste without beef. That isn't true of chicken
products. We use the "Better than Bouillon" chicken base a fair emount,
though most of the time I make my own chicken stock.

Kent

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
> On 03/26/2011 01:42 PM, Chet wrote:
>>
>> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been using
>> beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product called
>> Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want to try
>> a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it was
>> Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef Base
>> mixes.
>
> Making your own beef stock is really super easy. I'd go that way if I were
> you.
>
>
>> While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
>> Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
>> mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.
>
> No, it should be something harder, sharper, and more like Swiss cheese:
> emmenthaler/emmentaler is a good choice, but even something like thin
> shavings of good parmesan would be preferable to something mild like
> mozzarella, I'd think.
>
> Serene
>
>
Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.

On cheese, a firm, somewhat assertive cheese is crucial. Mozzarella won't
work.
Recently by accident I tried it. The distance from the bowl to the mouth was
12 inches, stranded with cheese. The taste wasn't there.

Kent

On 03/26/2011 09:30 PM, Kent wrote:

>>
> Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
> bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.

We have a wonderful butcher shop at the Berkeley Bowl. I can ask them
for a beef femur, and they'll cut it into whatever size pieces I want.
That's also where I get the chicken feet that I love to use as part of
my chicken stock.

For beef stock, I also use the bones from roasts once I've carved the
meat off them, and things like that.

>
> On cheese, a firm, somewhat assertive cheese is crucial. Mozzarella won't
> work.
> Recently by accident I tried it. The distance from the bowl to the mouth was
> 12 inches, stranded with cheese. The taste wasn't there.

Yeah. I wouldn't use something that wimpy on French onion soup.

Serene

--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

Chet > wrote:

>
> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been
>using beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product
>called Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want
>to try a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it
>was Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef
>Base mixes.

We like Minor's [beef and chicken- never tried the vegetarian] Soup
Base
http://www.soupbase.com/view.asp?cid=2668

My wife is finally a believer. French onion soup is *her* job. She
insisted on the canned broth [blue can- name escapes me] until one day
when she couldn't make the soup & I did it. She noticed the
Minor's and liked it.

I make broth or stock when I've got nothing else to do & have the
ingredients begging to be used-- but the Minor's is just as good, IMO,
for most applications.

>
>While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
>Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
>mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.

We substituted Gouda once-- and now it is always gouda. It acts
like the gruyere, you get some crunch and a little stretch-- but most
stays 'cheesey'. Tried the smoked gouda once and didn't care for it.

I just saw somebody on TV make 'french bread biscuits' to serve as the
bread. Might give that a shot one of these days. The bread is
the weak point in our soup.

Jim

On Mar 26, 8:11*pm, "Storrmmee" > wrote:
> i LOVED that store

It's still there. It's just a Macy's now. It's the only old FB store
where they still make the onion soup. I think I'm going to make a
version with shallots. I almost never use onions in cooking anymore
because I like cooked shallots so much better than cooked onions, and
there's a store that sells them pretty cheap.

"Bryan" > wrote in message
>
> When I was growing up I think most people used Swiss. *I remember it
> from the Downtown St. Louis Famous Barr store.
>
>
>
> > Serene
>
> --Bryan

--Bryan

"Kent" wrote:
>
>Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
>bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.

It's silly to *buy* beef bones for stock... bones were fine for stock
when you could get a ton for free from your friendly butcher and they
contained some meat... beef no longer contains much bone and what's
sold as soup bones is not, and it's ridiculously expensive... you
can't make beef stock from nekid bones. Unless you make beef stock
from beef flesh you may as well use bouillion cubes. It's the easiest
thing to make wonderful beef stock from inexpensive chuck cuts.. and
don't let anyone tell you how the meat is wasted, it definitely is
not... there are tons of recipes for potted beef... and when making
stock it should never come to a boil, actually it should remain below
a simmer... proper stock is a whole day affair. The potted chuck can
be enjoyed as is with a horseradish sauce or chopped and seasoned with
some fat added back, makes a wonderful pate or is great for stuffing
pasta. To date I haven't read here where anyone has a clue about how
to make stock... and it's not possible to make stock from garbage...
just because yoose use a stockpot doesn't make it stock when yoose use
a stock pot as a sewage treatment plant... but then what would yoose
TIADers know from stock.

On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
Vannoy > wrote,
>Making your own beef stock is really super easy.

How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
Do you have a lot of trouble with stuck jar lids?

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 08:07:01 -0700, David Harmon >
wrote:

>On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>Vannoy > wrote,
>>Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>
>How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
>Do you have a lot of trouble with stuck jar lids?

Every time I use jarred stuff to make something, I think of the FDA's
allowance tables for the percentage of other nasty things that are
acceptable in manufactured foods.

So much rat poop, so much bug parts, so much this and that...

None of that stuff is in MY homemade foods! Zero percentage!

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:18:19 -0400, Landon > wrote:

>On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 08:07:01 -0700, David Harmon >
>wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>>Vannoy > wrote,
>>>Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>>
>>How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
>>Do you have a lot of trouble with stuck jar lids?
>
>Every time I use jarred stuff to make something, I think of the FDA's
>allowance tables for the percentage of other nasty things that are
>acceptable in manufactured foods.
>
>So much rat poop, so much bug parts, so much this and that...
>
>None of that stuff is in MY homemade foods! Zero percentage!

You're fooling yourself... basic ingredients contain all sorts of
extraneous matter... do you use black pepper, every pound of
peppercorns contains some percentage of mouse turds etc.... I needn't
say more.

On 03/27/2011 08:07 AM, David Harmon wrote:
> On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
> > wrote,
>> Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>
> How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?

Who said it was?

> Do you have a lot of trouble with stuck jar lids?

Nope. I have a lot of trouble with the flavor of jarred beef stock.

Serene

--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

On 27/03/2011 1:19 AM, Serene Vannoy wrote:

> We have a wonderful butcher shop at the Berkeley Bowl. I can ask them
> for a beef femur, and they'll cut it into whatever size pieces I want.
> That's also where I get the chicken feet that I love to use as part of
> my chicken stock.
>
> For beef stock, I also use the bones from roasts once I've carved the
> meat off them, and things like that.


I have been using tetra pack beef stock because we don't eat enough beef
with bones to get broth. When we have prime rib roasts I toss the bones
in for a little added flavour and eventually cut off whatever meat is
left on them. I usually make beef barley soup, one of my favourites.

On 27/03/2011 10:18 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> "Kent" wrote:
>>
>> Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
>> bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>
> It's silly to *buy* beef bones for stock... bones were fine for stock
> when you could get a ton for free from your friendly butcher and they
> contained some meat... beef no longer contains much bone and what's
> sold as soup bones is not, and it's ridiculously expensive... you
> can't make beef stock from nekid bones.



Things must be different where you live, Bones are no longer free here.
Inf act, for the price they charge for soup bones you may as well just
buy a tetra pack of the stuff. It costs just a little bit more than it
would cost for the bones and you don't have to simmer them for an hour
or two.

On 03/27/2011 09:43 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 27/03/2011 1:19 AM, Serene Vannoy wrote:
>
>> We have a wonderful butcher shop at the Berkeley Bowl. I can ask them
>> for a beef femur, and they'll cut it into whatever size pieces I want.
>> That's also where I get the chicken feet that I love to use as part of
>> my chicken stock.
>>
>> For beef stock, I also use the bones from roasts once I've carved the
>> meat off them, and things like that.
>
>
> I have been using tetra pack beef stock because we don't eat enough beef
> with bones to get broth.

Yes, that makes sense, if you don't mind the flavor of that. If I don't
have beef bones to make beef stock, I use water. Of course, I wouldn't
do that with French onion soup, but that's not a fave around here anyway.

> When we have prime rib roasts I toss the bones
> in for a little added flavour and eventually cut off whatever meat is
> left on them. I usually make beef barley soup, one of my favourites.

I usually freeze the bones whenever we have meat, and when I've saved up
enough, I make stock with them (along with any veggie trimmings I've
frozen in addition).

Serene

--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:09:43 -0700, Serene Vannoy
> wrote:

>On 03/27/2011 08:07 AM, David Harmon wrote:
>> On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>> > wrote,
>>> Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>>
>> How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
>
>Who said it was?
>
>> Do you have a lot of trouble with stuck jar lids?
>
>Nope. I have a lot of trouble with the flavor of jarred beef stock.
>
>Serene

Jarred stock is a pricier way to buy bouillion cubes.

Dave Smith wrote:
>Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> "Kent" wrote:
>>>
>>> Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
>>> bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>>
>> It's silly to *buy* beef bones for stock... bones were fine for stock
>> when you could get a ton for free from your friendly butcher and they
>> contained some meat... beef no longer contains much bone and what's
>> sold as soup bones is not, and it's ridiculously expensive... you
>> can't make beef stock from nekid bones.
>
>Things must be different where you live, Bones are no longer free here.

Things must be different where you live, they don't teach reading
comprehension.

On Mar 27, 10:18*am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> "Kent" wrote:
>
> >Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
> >bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>
> It's silly to *buy* beef bones for stock... bones were fine for stock
> when you could get a ton for free from your friendly butcher and they
> contained some meat... beef no longer contains much bone and what's
> sold as soup bones is not, and it's ridiculously expensive... you
> can't make beef stock from nekid bones. *Unless you make beef stock
> from beef flesh you may as well use bouillion cubes. *It's the easiest
> thing to make wonderful beef stock from inexpensive chuck cuts.. and
> don't let anyone tell you how the meat is wasted, it definitely is
> not... there are tons of recipes for potted beef... and when making
> stock it should never come to a boil, actually it should remain below
> a simmer... proper stock is a whole day affair. *The potted chuck can
> be enjoyed as is with a horseradish sauce or chopped and seasoned with
> some fat added back, makes a wonderful pate or is great for stuffing
> pasta. *To date I haven't read here where anyone has a clue about how
> to make stock... and it's not possible to make stock from garbage...
> just because yoose use a stockpot doesn't make it stock when yoose use
> a stock pot as a sewage treatment plant... but then what would yoose
> TIADers know from stock.

I don't make my own stock anymore. But when I did, I'd simmer for
about 18 hours. My simmer was so low that there is a bubble or two
every minute that surfaces to the top. So I leave it overnight. And
in the morning it's done.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:09:43 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
Vannoy > wrote,
>On 03/27/2011 08:07 AM, David Harmon wrote:
>> On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>> > wrote,
>>> Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>>
>> How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
>
>Who said it was?

You did. "Super" means more than the alternative. It's a
comparative. The alternative in this thread is beef base in a jar.

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:30:36 -0700, "Kent" >
> wrote:
>
>>Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
>>bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>
> The Asian markets can be good places to find beef bones/shanks for
> stock.
>
> Christine
> --
>
The Mexican markets may have beef leftover. I've not seen veal at one. As
well, I get good produce from my local Mexican market for half the cost at
the Prophylaxis Emporium [short for Safeway].

Kent

On 03/27/2011 10:40 AM, David Harmon wrote:
> On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:09:43 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
> > wrote,
>> On 03/27/2011 08:07 AM, David Harmon wrote:
>>> On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>>> > wrote,
>>>> Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>>>
>>> How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
>>
>> Who said it was?
>
> You did. "Super" means more than the alternative. It's a
> comparative. The alternative in this thread is beef base in a jar.

It's vernacular. Two things can be super-easy.

Opening a can is super-easy. So is making your own stock. In my own
experience, the difference in flavor is worth the slightly higher effort
involved in making my own stock.

Serene

--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
> On 03/26/2011 09:30 PM, Kent wrote:
>
>>>
>> Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
>> bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>
> We have a wonderful butcher shop at the Berkeley Bowl. I can ask them for
> a beef femur, and they'll cut it into whatever size pieces I want. That's
> also where I get the chicken feet that I love to use as part of my chicken
> stock.
>
> <snip>

> Serene
>
> --
>
How much do leftover beef pieces cost at the Bowl? I think that market is a
sublessor and not owned by the Berkeley Bowl owner, and I think it's a bit
pricey. Spare ribs were over $3/lb the last time I was there.

Kent

"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
...
> "Kent" wrote:
>>
>>Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
>>bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>
> It's silly to *buy* beef bones for stock... bones were fine for stock
> when you could get a ton for free from your friendly butcher and they
> contained some meat... beef no longer contains much bone and what's
> sold as soup bones is not, and it's ridiculously expensive... you
> can't make beef stock from nekid bones. Unless you make beef stock
> from beef flesh you may as well use bouillion cubes. It's the easiest
> thing to make wonderful beef stock from inexpensive chuck cuts.. and
> don't let anyone tell you how the meat is wasted, it definitely is
> not... there are tons of recipes for potted beef... and when making
> stock it should never come to a boil, actually it should remain below
> a simmer... proper stock is a whole day affair. The potted chuck can
> be enjoyed as is with a horseradish sauce or chopped and seasoned with
> some fat added back, makes a wonderful pate or is great for stuffing
> pasta. To date I haven't read here where anyone has a clue about how
> to make stock... and it's not possible to make stock from garbage...
> just because yoose use a stockpot doesn't make it stock when yoose use
> a stock pot as a sewage treatment plant... but then what would yoose
> TIADers know from stock.
>
>
Right on Sheldon, You have to have some meat. You also want some marrow and
the cartilage. A lot of flavor is in the meat cartilage bone interphase.
That's why a bone in standing rib tastes so much better than a boneless
standing rib.

Kent

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:25:55 -0700 (PDT), Portland
> wrote:

>On Mar 27, 10:18*am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>> "Kent" wrote:
>>
>> >Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get your
>> >bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>>
>> It's silly to *buy* beef bones for stock... bones were fine for stock
>> when you could get a ton for free from your friendly butcher and they
>> contained some meat... beef no longer contains much bone and what's
>> sold as soup bones is not, and it's ridiculously expensive... you
>> can't make beef stock from nekid bones. *Unless you make beef stock
>> from beef flesh you may as well use bouillion cubes. *It's the easiest
>> thing to make wonderful beef stock from inexpensive chuck cuts.. and
>> don't let anyone tell you how the meat is wasted, it definitely is
>> not... there are tons of recipes for potted beef... and when making
>> stock it should never come to a boil, actually it should remain below
>> a simmer... proper stock is a whole day affair. *The potted chuck can
>> be enjoyed as is with a horseradish sauce or chopped and seasoned with
>> some fat added back, makes a wonderful pate or is great for stuffing
>> pasta. *To date I haven't read here where anyone has a clue about how
>> to make stock... and it's not possible to make stock from garbage...
>> just because yoose use a stockpot doesn't make it stock when yoose use
>> a stock pot as a sewage treatment plant... but then what would yoose
>> TIADers know from stock.
>
>I don't make my own stock anymore. But when I did, I'd simmer for
>about 18 hours. My simmer was so low that there is a bubble or two
>every minute that surfaces to the top. So I leave it overnight. And
>in the morning it's done.

I still do that a few times a year... but if I'm going to bother I
don't add any garbage to the pot. When I'm planning to make beef
stock I ask the meat department manager for "soup meat". Soup bones
no longer exist. Years ago flanken was considered soup meat... times
change. Chuck roasts used to be dirt cheap but no more. But I can
still find tough cuts of chuck at reasonable prices, and those are the
most flavorful for stock making.

http://www.wizardrecipes.com/blog/co...-for-soup.html

"David Harmon" > wrote in message
news
> On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
> Vannoy > wrote,
>>Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>
> How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
> Do you have a lot of trouble with stuck jar lids?
>
>
I don't think there is a commercial product that compares with homemade beef
stock. If you look at the label of those commercial beef extracts there's
all sort of strange ingredients added. The best products, possibly, are from
France, $15 for a tiny bottle the last time I looked. I haven't tried any.

Kent

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:03:29 -0700, Serene Vannoy
> wrote:

>On 03/27/2011 10:40 AM, David Harmon wrote:
>> On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:09:43 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>> > wrote,
>>> On 03/27/2011 08:07 AM, David Harmon wrote:
>>>> On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>>>> > wrote,
>>>>> Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>>>>
>>>> How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
>>>
>>> Who said it was?
>>
>> You did. "Super" means more than the alternative. It's a
>> comparative. The alternative in this thread is beef base in a jar.
>
>It's vernacular. Two things can be super-easy.
>
>Opening a can is super-easy. So is making your own stock. In my own
>experience, the difference in flavor is worth the slightly higher effort
>involved in making my own stock.
>
>Serene

And no more time or effort to make a copious quantity.

"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:18:19 -0400, Landon > wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 08:07:01 -0700, David Harmon >
>>wrote:
>>
>>>On Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:15:01 -0700 in rec.food.cooking, Serene
>>>Vannoy > wrote,
>>>>Making your own beef stock is really super easy.
>>>
>>>How can it be that much easier than opening a jar?
>>>Do you have a lot of trouble with stuck jar lids?
>>
>>Every time I use jarred stuff to make something, I think of the FDA's
>>allowance tables for the percentage of other nasty things that are
>>acceptable in manufactured foods.
>>
>>So much rat poop, so much bug parts, so much this and that...
>>
>>None of that stuff is in MY homemade foods! Zero percentage!
>
> You're fooling yourself... basic ingredients contain all sorts of
> extraneous matter... do you use black pepper, every pound of
> peppercorns contains some percentage of mouse turds etc.... I needn't
> say more.
>
>
How does the mouse turd get onto a Tellechurry bean?
http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...c68c33d52cb0cc
You can rinse them before you grind.
Kent

On 03/27/2011 11:03 AM, Kent wrote:

>>
> How much do leftover beef pieces cost at the Bowl?

Dollar and change a pound.

> I think that market is a
> sublessor and not owned by the Berkeley Bowl owner,

Dunno.

> and I think it's a bit
> pricey.

Yep, but I do like their quality, and I don't have better meat available
to me within my normal walking radius.

Serene
--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

On 2011-03-27, Kent > wrote:
> stock. If you look at the label of those commercial beef extracts there's
> all sort of strange ingredients added.

What? You think beef cattle are somehow free of "strange
ingredients"?

Hell, cows don't even naturally eat corn, the primary feed given to
them for months to fatten them up for mkt. It's so disruptive to
their digestive system, there's tons of antibiotics and chemicals
included to counteract the damage done by feeding them corn.

Face it, we're eating crap, be it from a bottle, can, or vacpak.

nb

"Jim Elbrecht" > wrote in message
...
> Chet > wrote:
>
>>
>> Lately My wife & I started making french onion soup at home, been
>>using beef broth in a can, OK, but having second thoughts on a Product
>>called Better Than Bouillon Organic Beef Base by Superior Touch, I want
>>to try a Beef Base mix and this one was the first I read about since it
>>was Organic and had some good ingredients, any opinions on these Beef
>>Base mixes.
>
> We like Minor's [beef and chicken- never tried the vegetarian] Soup
> Base
> http://www.soupbase.com/view.asp?cid=2668
>
> My wife is finally a believer. French onion soup is *her* job. She
> insisted on the canned broth [blue can- name escapes me] until one day
> when she couldn't make the soup & I did it. She noticed the
> Minor's and liked it.
>
> I make broth or stock when I've got nothing else to do & have the
> ingredients begging to be used-- but the Minor's is just as good, IMO,
> for most applications.
>
>>
>>While on the french onion soup topic, I seem to have a hard time finding
>>Guyere cheese. any alternative cheese's that will work good.we tried
>>mozzarella, so so, won't try it again.
>
> We substituted Gouda once-- and now it is always gouda. It acts
> like the gruyere, you get some crunch and a little stretch-- but most
> stays 'cheesey'. Tried the smoked gouda once and didn't care for it.
>
> I just saw somebody on TV make 'french bread biscuits' to serve as the
> bread. Might give that a shot one of these days. The bread is
> the weak point in our soup.
>
> Jim
>
>
Baguette from your local bakery. Make 1/2 inch Slices, toast in oven, and
there you go. Better than the restaurant.

Kent

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:14:15 -0700, "Kent" >
wrote:

>>>Every time I use jarred stuff to make something, I think of the FDA's
>>>allowance tables for the percentage of other nasty things that are
>>>acceptable in manufactured foods.
>>>
>>>So much rat poop, so much bug parts, so much this and that...
>>>
>>>None of that stuff is in MY homemade foods! Zero percentage!
>>
>> You're fooling yourself... basic ingredients contain all sorts of
>> extraneous matter... do you use black pepper, every pound of
>> peppercorns contains some percentage of mouse turds etc.... I needn't
>> say more.
>>
>>
>How does the mouse turd get onto a Tellechurry bean?

I imagine some small degree of that stuff gets into everything sold.
But when I use my select beef parts, veggies and seasonings, I'm at
least radically decreasing the amounts of the nasties.

Plus, it tastes way better than jarred stuff.

"notbob" > wrote in message
...
> On 2011-03-27, Kent > wrote:
>> stock. If you look at the label of those commercial beef extracts there's
>> all sort of strange ingredients added.
>
> What? You think beef cattle are somehow free of "strange
> ingredients"?
>
> Hell, cows don't even naturally eat corn, the primary feed given to
> them for months to fatten them up for mkt. It's so disruptive to
> their digestive system, there's tons of antibiotics and chemicals
> included to counteract the damage done by feeding them corn.
>
> Face it, we're eating crap, be it from a bottle, can, or vacpak.
>
> nb
>
>
I'm not referring to what is in the cow, but what is added to demiglace, if
you can call it that, when the product is canned.

Kent

"Brooklyn1" <Gravesend1> wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:25:55 -0700 (PDT), Portland
> > wrote:
>
>>On Mar 27, 10:18 am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>>> "Kent" wrote:
>>>
>>> >Making your own beef stock is easy. In the Bay Area where do you get
>>> >your
>>> >bones and meat to do this? I'd sure like to know.
>>>
>>> It's silly to *buy* beef bones for stock... bones were fine for stock
>>> when you could get a ton for free from your friendly butcher and they
>>> contained some meat... beef no longer contains much bone and what's
>>> sold as soup bones is not, and it's ridiculously expensive... you
>>> can't make beef stock from nekid bones. Unless you make beef stock
>>> from beef flesh you may as well use bouillion cubes. It's the easiest
>>> thing to make wonderful beef stock from inexpensive chuck cuts.. and
>>> don't let anyone tell you how the meat is wasted, it definitely is
>>> not... there are tons of recipes for potted beef... and when making
>>> stock it should never come to a boil, actually it should remain below
>>> a simmer... proper stock is a whole day affair. The potted chuck can
>>> be enjoyed as is with a horseradish sauce or chopped and seasoned with
>>> some fat added back, makes a wonderful pate or is great for stuffing
>>> pasta. To date I haven't read here where anyone has a clue about how
>>> to make stock... and it's not possible to make stock from garbage...
>>> just because yoose use a stockpot doesn't make it stock when yoose use
>>> a stock pot as a sewage treatment plant... but then what would yoose
>>> TIADers know from stock.
>>
>>I don't make my own stock anymore. But when I did, I'd simmer for
>>about 18 hours. My simmer was so low that there is a bubble or two
>>every minute that surfaces to the top. So I leave it overnight. And
>>in the morning it's done.
>
> I still do that a few times a year... but if I'm going to bother I
> don't add any garbage to the pot. When I'm planning to make beef
> stock I ask the meat department manager for "soup meat". Soup bones
> no longer exist. Years ago flanken was considered soup meat... times
> change. Chuck roasts used to be dirt cheap but no more. But I can
> still find tough cuts of chuck at reasonable prices, and those are the
> most flavorful for stock making.
>
> http://www.wizardrecipes.com/blog/co...-for-soup.html
>
>
Do you brown the beef in the oven first, before putting it into the
stockpot?