Scrap Cooking

I do scrap cooking with scraps of meat I put in a bag in the freezer.

Bones, scraps of meat and fat all going into that bag together.

When I have a full bag or two I make bone broth.

Another free food.

https://permies.com/t/53212/Free-frugal-soup

Friday night as I was getting to the field for duckie bedtime, I had to run all the way across the lower field to break up a fight between a young drake and my senior drake. A gander charging them, wasn't enough to get them to break it up. I waded in, hauled them apart, and decided I'd had enough. The young drake got crated Sat night, and had his "one bad day" Sunday morning early.

So this afternoon, I grabbed walking onion, dandelion leaves, a bit of parsley, oregano and marjoram, and the wings, feet and neck went into the pressure cooker which is just coming down from pressure now.

Just so you all know - chicken and duck feet make the most awesome, gelatin-rich broth. The duck gets scalded, which allows me to take the outer layer of skin off the feet, and the outer part of the nails. Then what so many people would just waste, goes through the pressure cooker and the results are amazing.  

I like the idea of calling it "planned overs," especially since my family doesn't like the idea of leftovers. On my meal plan, I have a day listed as "Dragon." When my husband asked about it, I said, "whatever we drag-in from the fridge or freezer."

I've messed up my fair share of soups, broths, and breads by adding a "bit of this leftover and that scrap." My defense is I didn't grow up cooking, much less scrap cooking, so I'm learning and developing that intuition of what pairs well together and how much to use. Sometimes the disasters have negated the financial savings, but I always learn something for next time.

I've been experimenting with my favorite banana bread recipe. Herbal cherry was one of my favorite versions, using up some cherries and herbal syrup that I had in the freezer. Pear parsnip was a really good one, too, as was chai fig.

For savory muffins, I use odds and ends in this Tex-Mex muffin from Weelicious. I've omitted or changed out the veggies and chicken, left out the cheese, used broth or sourdough starter in place of milk, and used leftover salsa or diced tomatoes instead of tomato paste.

Anne Miller wrote:I do scrap cooking with scraps of meat I put in a bag in the freezer.

Bones, scraps of meat and fat all going into that bag together.

When I have a full bag or two I make bone broth.

Another free food.

https://permies.com/t/53212/Free-frugal-soup

Hi Anne!  I couldn't agree more!  Also, every time I use an onion, every bit of it fits into three categories: parts getting cooked immediately (the majority),  parts going into the freezer to flavor future stocks and soups, and parts for the compost.  So many delicious foods can be created with vegetable "scraps".

As a matter of fact, it's time to throw those chicken bones and onion/vegetable scraps onto the stove!
have a great day all!

Anne Miller wrote:I do scrap cooking with scraps of meat I put in a bag in the freezer.

Bones, scraps of meat and fat all going into that bag together.

When I have a full bag or two I make bone broth.

Another free food.

https://permies.com/t/53212/Free-frugal-soup

Same here. I make croquettes " Eastern  European style" from left over meats & vegetables for my tiny  family. But I've never made true bone broth. I've looked up recipes, followed it, placed the bones in oven etc...etc... But the clean up afterwards!? I almost threw the baking pan away. The end result was a  bunch of "something" unrecognizable.
I think I might've "cremated" it? I don't know. Ever since, I just boil the bones to make base for future gravy. Small pieces of raw meat/bones (like poultry ribs), skin and fat, goes to crows. Cooked meat goes to our dog.
If someone has good instruction for making bone broth I would appreciate some help? Thank you very much

Ela said, But I've never made true bone broth. I've looked up recipes, followed it, placed the bones in oven etc...etc... But the clean up afterwards!? I almost threw the baking pan away. The end result was a  bunch of "something" unrecognizable.
I think I might've "cremated" it?

I have been making bone broth most of my life.  My mom taught me how to do this with the turkey carcass after what was left over from the Thanksgiving meal.

I put the whole carcass in a big stew pot.  Fill the pot with water and simmer all day long.

Maybe I have been doing this wrong because I have never put bones in the oven whether cooked or raw.

A few tricks are to add vinegar or veggies scraps, etc.

My your broth be with you ...

trimmed some on-the-way-out peppers, 2 tiny delicata squash (rescued), some leftover onion, garlic, roasted them all, cooked them in homemade chicken stock, pureed, and voila:

This is so good and mind opening wow thanks for sharing. I’m all for no waste