how do I remove partially-disintegrated sediment/tiny-bones from stock?
I have just finished my first batch of bone broth, and have removed all of the bones I could find. I noticed that there are some smaller pieces, as well as "grit" from disintegrated bones, which seems to be from the handiwork of my vinegar leaching minerals from the bones.
I am wondering what people normally do when dealing with these very tiny gritty pieces, as well as pieces that could have been hard to miss that are still bones/larger grit. I went through with a strainer, but the issue is that the marrow is also strained so I have to pick through. Currently it is very hot, so I am waiting for it to cool down before I pick through it more.
My questions are
How do people get rid of the very tiny pieces of bone/tiny-grit from the bones.
Is there an issue with eating the grit and such? It seems that it would be disintegrated with more time, so there shouldn't be an issue. What about small bone pieces? It seems that with the long simmer the bones are a lot softer, so there wouldn't be splintering, but it's probably still a possibility.
Any help would be appreciated on how to deal with/ work with tiny-bones and grit, thank you!.
Best Answer
Straining might work, but you may need to use a process known as "decanting":
- Let the stock sit until any sediment falls to the bottom.
- Remove the good liquid, avoiding the sediment at the bottom.
You can do this a few ways :
- Use something to scoop the good liquid off the top
- Use a hose to siphon off the good liquid until just before you get to the sediment
- Carefully pour off the good liquid, stopping when you notice the sediment rising to the top
This is more difficult with stock, as when it cools, the gelatin will start to thicken making pouring a bit tricker ... but it means one more potential method:
- Let the stock set up, then remove it as a block from the container (you may need to set the whole thing in hot water to get it to release; sometimes a hot-water spray or wrapping it in damp hot towels is enough). Slice off and remove the sediment layer. Put what's left back in the container.
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Answer 2
Straining using cheesecloth would be ideal. You can do it a few times or through as many layers as you want to get all the particles out.
There isn't a problem with eating bone particles, but texture-wise these aren't desirable.
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