Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Bone Soup in a Solar Oven + How-to When Done!


Hearty Broth
Cooked Outdoors

You may have heard about the strengthening, re-vivifying properties of an herb-rich, bone soup. 

It's hot by afternoon in Northern Hemisphere summer, even here at high elevation in the Rocky Mountains. Presto kazam: enter the solar oven.

It's my third solar oven over a couple decades; this one being the most user-friendly. Especially better than the one a friend and I built, though a waymarker adventure!

I've been experimenting with mineral rich broths for a friend who is ill.

Just started a beef marrow bone-soup in the Solar Sport Oven with whatever I had in the garden or dried from last year. It will be a scorcher of a day; let the cooking be outdoors!

The oven holds two black graniteware pots; recipe below fills one pot. I didn't even bother to brown the bones, which is tastier, but the adobe house is cool and am keeping it that way:

4 chunky grass-fed beef marrow bones

Scallions, half a bunch
Garlic, 4 cloves
Thyme, fresh bunch
Parsley, fresh bunch 

Celery stalks, the first young ones
1 bay leaf

Kombu or dulse, piece of (sea veggies)
Dried stinging nettles, a handful
Dried Italian sweet peppers, small handful
Black pepper, freshly ground
2 Qt. filtered water
Cider vinegar, a slosh, ~1/4 c.

When I strain it this evening, I'll add Himalayan salt. 


P.S. What to do when it's done, in 5-7 hours?

A solar oven does not burn food and on a sunny day will do its job between 200-250 degrees F. generally speaking. 

To minimize mess and clean up, have ready in the kitchen:
3 or 4 pint (1/4 liter) canning jars
(3 jars means enough left for supper!)
Lids for American style; rings for European
A wide-mouth funnel
A medium to large stainless strainer
A large bowl 
A small plate for the bones
Add 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt to each jar. Or to taste.

At this point it's sensible to pull on heavy-duty rubber gloves.

Pour part of the broth through the strainer into the bowl. Remove the bones, setting on the plate.

Hold each bone at the horizontal with funnel in place in a jar. Turn a bone vertical with wider end down; the marrow will plop out. Ladle broth into jars.

Wipe rims of jars with a cotton or paper towel; Screw on lids, or clamp down rings. Let cool. 

The American jars will make a popping sound as they seal. Set into fridge when they cool. Share with friends.

Before serving, you might want to moosh the marrow with the back of a spoon, aesthetically speaking! 


Wishing good health to us all, health and equanimity, in interesting times.

For more hearty & unusual recipes, 
your blogger writes books: 

Wayfaring Traveler: Earth-Whisperers: Organic Farm Stories and Recipes (Volume 3)