beef tallow and chicken stock.

yesterday I put my foot out towards regaining my own life.  stepping outside of my month of the black abyss is fucking frightening.  considering the fact that the only human contact I've had is family and a couple friends.. I'm very anxious, and optimistic about life at this point. 

 so I decided to do what I do best and cook. ohio has finally given up on summer so I felt the need to bust out some oxtail and cook it down into some meaty-beefy-goodness. 

when I cook oxtail I usually throw the meat into a big stockpot and then braise it for about 15 minutes (should be enough fat to not require any oil). 

after my quick braise I throw in some carrots, onion, dashi stock, pepper, rice wine, salt, pepper and some garlic and throw a few cups of water on top to cover the oxtail.  bam. easy-peasey-lemon-breezy. 

then I let it sit for a good 5-8 hours. and serve over rice (I usually put in some fresh cilantro and green onions towards the end). 

so, yesterday. I was piddling around making some cookies. then I checked on my oxtail concoction and realized I had a large amount of fat bubbling to the top.  it was sickeningly thick. and the top of my stockpot looked like a fresh oil spill. 

I have a love affair with chicken and turkey stock, so I decided I should skim the "impurities" to make my stew less fattening and less disgusting looking. 

after spending 20 minutes hunkered over my stockpot with a spoon and a bowl, I realized I had in essence made an Asian flavored beef tallow or beef fat and a crap ton of gelatin. 

excitedly I stick my bowl in the frige and let it firm up overnight. and discovered this morning I had a thick layer of fat firming up in my bowl.

today. I peeled of the fat cap and melted it down into oil again and pushed it through the strainer. I was able to render some more far over some leftover meat and stored it away into a mason jar. I think it worked out well. 

it's so cool! I'm so happy. so today while I was breaking down a few pounds of chicken thighs, I decided to make some chicken stock 😃 

you just take the excess bone, meat and skin and throw it in a pot with some fresh veg and spices and cook it down for a good 8+ hours. just don't bring it to a boil and be sure to skim your impurities at the top. 

I think people really underestimate the awesome-ness that comes from using homemade stock and fat.  

it's great for bones, skin and getting a shit-ton of vitamins.  plus, you get the added bonus of not wasting any of your protein. 

I plan on throwing it into some freezer-safe mason jars I just picked up and using it in soups and stews. 

the beef fat can be used as a replacement for vegetable or canola oils which are no bueno for your body. and it's cheaper!

happy cooking 😺