Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Health Requires Lots of Bone Broth – Why Not Pork?+−
- Commercial Broth vs Homemade Broth
- Pork Broth More Affordable than Most
- How to Make Pork Broth (Pork Stock)
Making homemade bone brothis a crucial technique a Traditional Cook must master. Ideally, it is made at least once a week. Since quality bones are expensive, is pork broth an option? Most people have never considered it. Quality pastured porkat affordable prices is widely available in many communities. Let’s examine this question below.
Health Requires Lots of Bone Broth – Why Not Pork?
I make a large pot of stock once or twice every week. Our family flies through quarts of it so quickly at mealtimes! A ready supply of gelatin and mineral rich broth in the freezer is also important when illness strikes. This nutrient rich food is a key player for rapid recovery without meds. This is especially true when a fever is involved.
Commercial Broth vs Homemade Broth
Getting sick and realizing there is no homemade bone broth is a devastating feeling, I can assure you! Simply running out to the store to pick up some canned soup or broth in a carton is not going to solve the problem. These industrially produced products even if organic are just water and MSG with little to no nutrient value and certainly no gelatin!
Even the properly made commercial bone broths available in recent years are not comparable to homemade. They are all watered down (every single brand I’ve tested). What’s worse, they are usually packaged in toxic plastic or plastic lined tetrapaks. The broth is boiling hot when it is poured into the containers if the product is shelf stable. Try it yourself. Put them in the refrigerator. They don’t gel like broth made at home does. The only brand worth buying is Epic bone broth in glass jars, but unfortunately it is still watered down.
Making your own broth has no substitute!
There is nothing worse than a tummy bug striking your children and knowing that a pot of gelatin rich stock that will halt the illness in its tracks is a full 24-48 hours away. Unless, of course, you can quickly source the right kind of fishheads, then a pot of stock can be ready in as little as 4 hours.
Pork Broth More Affordable than Most
With plenty of stock on hand for whatever your cooking or wellness needs might be, the next question is how to source quality bones at a price that is within a typical family’s food budget.
The highest quality pastured pork bones for making pork stock tend to cost between one half and three quarters as much as grassfed beef bones or pastured chicken in my experience, particularly if you source an entire hog.
Some might question how pork bones could make good pork broth given the fattiness of the meat. Culinary purists believe that soups and sauces made with fatty stock donot yield the best results. This problem is easily remedied by chilling pork stock in the refrigerator which allows the congealed pork fat to be removed from the top of the container of stock with a spoon.
If you’ve never tried pork broth or pork stock before, why don’t you give it a try? Here is a very simple and basic pork broth recipe to get you going. It is inspired by the beautiful book Beyond Bacon, Paleo Recipes that Respect the Whole Hog,by Stacy Toth and Matthew McCarry.
How to Make Pork Broth (Pork Stock)
The recipe for pork stock below makes about 2 quarts. Try it with your next batch! I’m sure you’re going to love it!
Pork Broth Recipe
How to make pork broth that is a affordable, nutritious, and delicious alternative to other more expensive stocks made with pastured poultry or grassfed beef bones.
Servings 2 quarts
Author Sarah Pope
Ingredients
- 3lbspastured pork bones
- 1Tblapple cider vinegarraw and unfiltered, preferably organic
- ground peppercorns
- sea salt
Instructions
Put all of the bones in a stockpot and add enough filtered water to cover.
Cook on high until the water comes to a boil and scum rises to the top. Cook for 5 minutes.
Dump the entire pot of water and refill with fresh filtered water, enough to cover the bones. Mix in the apple cider vinegar and bring the water to a boil once again.
Carefully skim off any foam that comes to the top. It should be minimal given that the water with most of the scum was dumped in the previous step.
Reduce heat and simmer on low for 9-24 hours.
Remove the pot from the heat, strain and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. Let cool and then refrigerate in one or more airtight containers.
Skim the lard off the top of the chilled pork broth the following day and refrigerate. Reserve this delicious fat high in Vitamin D for cooking. This article plus video provides more information on how to render lard.
Use the clarified pork stock as the base for soups and sauces the same as you would use chicken or beef stock.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
FAQs
Adding spices and herbs are easy ways to make your tastiest bone broth while boosting the nutrition at the same time. Dried herbs and spices works well if you're in a pinch. However, nothing beats fresh herbs and spices. Herbs are particularly great if you are fasting with bone broth.
Why can't you buy pork stock? ›
While pork stock is not as commonly used as beef or chicken stock, it is still a flavorful and versatile base for many dishes. One reason why pork stock may not be as popular as other stocks is that pork bones are not as readily available as beef or chicken bones, and may be more expensive to purchase.
Is pork broth healthy? ›
Depending on the animal bone you use, bone broth can be rich in minerals and vitamins including amino acids and essential fatty acids. We know that pork is a rich source of niacin and thiamine – both part of the group of B vitamins – as well as selenium, zinc, and vitamins B12 and B6.
What is the difference between pork broth and stock? ›
Stock is made similar to broth but includes simmering bones in addition to a variety of meats, vegetables, and spices in water. These ingredients also simmer for a longer period of time to enhance the flavor. Simmer time: 4 to 6 hours. The longer simmering time results in a full-bodied richer flavor.
What makes pork taste better? ›
Marinades aren't just great for imparting flavor — they also help lock in moisture and tenderize your meat. For pork, you can marinate for up to 12 hours prior to cooking. Just be sure to store marinating pork in the refrigerator and do your best to cover all sides of meat with liquid or turn the meat occasionally.
What to use in place of pork broth? ›
5 Broth Substitutes to Use In a Pinch
- Boullion cubes. ...
- Beer, wine, or vermouth. ...
- Water. ...
- Mushrooms. ...
- Lemon or lime juice.
If your sauce is going to be light, bright and herbaceous, then veggie or chicken broth will do. If it's going to be deep, rich, mushrooms, red wine and woodsy herbs, then beef stock might be a better choice. I'd use chicken stock, beef would be too strong for pork.
How long does homemade pork stock last? ›
So how long does it last in the fridge? Provided you have a good, thick layer of fat that has solidified on top of the liquid, then you can keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks. If you don't have a good fat layer on top, 3-4 days. Best is to keep a couple of jars in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.
What is a pork broth called? ›
Tonkotsu is the pork bone broth which we are centering all our love around today. Creamy and cloudy, we get to this point by boiling the bones for hours on end. As mentioned, this kind of ramen comes from modern day f*ckuoka. Tonkotsu is not to be confused with Tonkatsu (despite the name being so close).
What does pork broth taste like? ›
Pork bones are simmered sometimes for up to 20 hours with veggies such as carrot, celery, and onion. The cooking process infuses the water with flavor from the bones and adds fat to the broth. The broth is pale golden-beige and has a salty umami flavor.
According to some studies, bone broth may be high in glutamate. Glutamate may cause adverse effects such as anxiety, restlessness, low energy, mental exhaustion, sleeplessness, and concentration problems, although there is no scientific evidence to prove this.
Can you drink pork stock? ›
Bone broth dates back to prehistoric times, when hunter-gatherers turned otherwise inedible animal parts like bones, hooves, and knuckles into a broth they could drink. You can make bone broth using bones from just about any animal — chicken, pork, beef, veal, turkey, lamb, bison, buffalo, venison, or fish.
What are the benefits of pork broth? ›
Better than Bacon: Pork Bone Broth
- Nutrient-dense. ...
- Improves gut health. ...
- Rebuilds connective tissue. ...
- Maintains a youthful complexion. ...
- Provides immune support. ...
- Promotes bone health. ...
- Stretches your food dollar.
The pork bone is simmered or boiled for hours which helps break down the collagen, bone marrow and fat. By breaking down the pork bone, you bring out a creamy white liquid, which is where all the flavor of the broth comes from. This is definitely not your mothers cup of chicken noodle soup!
How do you drink bone broth if you hate the taste? ›
You can start by combining bone broth with soup stock. It sounds counterproductive, but trust me, this is a good place to start. You can combine with beef or chicken soup stock. Then add an extra dash of salt or pepper, or whatever flavors your mouth truly loves, and sip away.
What is pork bone broth good for? ›
Bone broth contains small amounts of the amino acid glycine, which may promote relaxation and deeper, more restorative sleep. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Its braided, chain-like structure helps it strengthen a variety of tissues, including skin, bones, muscles, and tendons.
Making homemade bone brothis a crucial technique a Traditional Cook must master. Ideally, it is made at least once a week. Since quality bones are expensive, is pork broth an option? Most people have never considered it. Quality pastured porkat affordable prices is widely available in many communities. Let’s examine this question below.
