Saturday, March 22, 2014
I Even Ate the Bones!
After the chicken stayed in the Crockpot an inordinate amount of time, my parsimonious meal continued in the Crockpot. Potatoes came out early, but the carrots needed more time.
I had taken the chicken out, removed meat from the bones and placed the tiny bits and pieces and bones and carrots back on to cook. Then, I fished out the carrots and broke the bones up, cooking it even more. Finally, I poured the broth through a strainer. The strained pieces were destined for the hens. However, I found huge chunks of meat and took those out for me. Occasionally, I plopped a piece of meat into my mouth.
Eventually, I was eating bones. That was a surprise. Bones were no more crunchy than an M&M or salmon bones, which I love. Even when I realized I had just put a chicken bone in my mouth and chomped down on it, I just kept chewing and swallowing.
This must be very nutritious for us. I wonder if all the people who don't feed their dogs bones could safely feed these long-cooked, soft bones to their pets. I know a pressure cooker softens bones where they are safe, but was surprised at this development.
I watched the hens as they devoured about a cup of bones and meat. They really looked happy. I have almost two quarts of really dark broth.
Your turn
Have you ever eaten the chicken bones when they are cooked in the crockpot? Do you ever feed these soft bones to your animals?
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I do not deliberately eat the bones! Actually, I have never used my crock pot to prepare a whole chicken, BUT, after I roast one, I do place the bones in my crock pot with water and a bit of vinegar. I let it cook for about 8 hours, strain, put in quart jars and pressure can for my own chicken stock. The vinegar helos draw the nuttients from the bones.
ReplyDeleteMeg B.,
DeleteI think I remember that about the vinegar. Are the bones soft then? Does the stock not taste like vinegar? Thanks for the information.
No, no vinegar taste!
DeleteI've never eaten the bones, but I worked with a man that would eat fried chicken like nobody I'd ever encountered.
ReplyDeleteAfter he ate all the meat, he'd eat the gristle, crack the bones and suck out the marrow.
When he was finished, even fire ants had nothing to find.
Jess,
DeleteGracious! I might worry he would look to one of my tender arms and eat it right off me. I cannot stand gristle! Daddy would take beef bones and take a knife and rake out the marrow and eat it.
I would have sat in awe and fear watching that man eat! Thanks for that interesting story.
I watched someone do the same thing once LOL was shocked!
DeleteI suspect that you are right and long slow cooking would make the bones 'safe' for animals. Raw bones seem to be fine, but cooked poultry often does have sharp splintery bones.
ReplyDeleteEC,
DeleteCooked bones works fine for the chickens...lol. It looks like they sucked on the bones since they leave bones so shiny and slick. However, cats drag those away once the hens leave them. No one probably wants to cook bones for over twenty-four hours, including the chicken cook time.
Steak and rib bones I feed to the dogs, but never chicken bones. I do like the morrow in the bones, especially in country ham. But that is as close as I get to eating bones. Now, my gay brother, Stephen, loved to get a bone in his mouth and places. Just saying...
DeleteCoffeypot :0 LMAO!!
DeleteCoffeypot, Coffeypot, Coffeypot, What are we going to do with you? Oh yeah, my fault. I must censor MY language!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I cannot quit laughing!
DeleteI was doing fine, and thinking of a comment, then I read Coffey's and thought "why bother". lol
ReplyDeleteWhen I make stock I make up little zip lock bags of bones and "stuff" for my brother in law's dog. I have an entire freezer section nearly full for when she comes back this summer. Heck a few weeks we drove to Yuma AZ tu deliver a doggie care package! I pick out all the hollow or splintery bones but all the rest bones, skin and meat gets pick through and saved. I do remove that large breast bone gristle. One day I'll tell you about the time that Frank tried to teach the dog to chew!
ReplyDeleteIf I am making .a beef based soup I take the marrow and other tasty parts out , chop them fine and put them right back in the soup! YUMMMM ! I make good soup if I say so myself!
Janet,
ReplyDeleteI ask exbf to save all bones and skin from the turkey and chicken parts I give him. He throws hen food into one of the freezer bags that I give him. By the time he gets here, it is thawed and he feeds some to them. Then, I keep it in the refrigerator for them. I was thinking that when I have surgery that I would make little wax paper packets of meat products. all stored in a gallon bag for my friend to feed them. That is one lucky dog, probably much healthier diet than grain/corn-based dog food.
The saved meat scraps are one of the ways I can feed them for free. Exbf throws in his apple cores also.
You mean he wants the dog to chew food instead of gulping? That must be a hilarious story. I cannot wait to hear that.
Your soup sounds delicious.