Beef bones are a delicious way to add flavour and nutrition to any dish. There are many kinds of beef bones. This guide will talk about where to buy them, how to store them, and the great health benefits they have. A lot of people want to know which beef bones are safe for dogs. We’ll answer that question and give you some cooking ideas too.
As a thrifty home cook, I love saving beef bones to make nourishing bone broths But I don’t always have time to make broth right away This leads to the question – how long can beef bones be frozen before use?
In this article, I’ll go over proper storage methods, recommended freeze times, signs of spoilage, and frequently asked questions on freezing beef bones for later cooking. Follow these guidelines to keep bones fresh until you’re ready to simmer that savory broth!
Vacuum-Sealed Vs. Open Storage
To maximize shelf life in the freezer, beef bones should be stored in vacuum-sealed bags with as much air removed as possible.
Vacuum sealing prevents freezer burn which can cause bones to dry out, lose flavor, and develop off-odors over time. With vacuum bags, bones can be frozen for up to 6 months before quality loss occurs.
In contrast, bones stored in open containers or non-vacuum bags should be used within 1-2 months. Exposure to air causes faster freezer burn and deterioration in quality.
Track Freezer Storage Times
No matter what type of freezer bag is used, it’s important to label bags with the date. Tracking storage times allows you to use bones within the recommended period.
I like to write the date clearly on a piece of tape and stick it on the bag. This lets me easily see how long bones have been frozen when I’m sorting through my packed freezer.
Look For Signs Of Spoilage
Despite proper freezer storage, beef bones can still degrade in quality over time. Check for these signs of spoilage before using frozen bones:
- Dry, shriveled appearance
- Loss of red marrow color, turned gray
- Rancid or unpleasant smells
- Accumulation of large ice crystals or freezer burn
- Mold present
If bones exhibit any of these traits, it’s best to discard them. Using spoiled bones can yield a broth with off-flavors. Stick to bones that still look fresh.
Thaw Safely Before Cooking
Never leave frozen beef bones out at room temperature to thaw. They should always be thawed:
- In the refrigerator over 24-48 hours
- Submerged in cold water, changing water every 30 mins
- In the microwave using defrost setting if bones fit
Proper thawing keeps bones at safe temperatures under 40°F.
Cook Bones Soon After Thawing
For best flavor and quality, bones should be used soon after thawing and not refrozen again. The ice crystals that form during freezing can damage cell structures.
So thaw only the amount of bones you’ll need for your recipe, and use them within a day or two for making broth.
Can Bones Be Refrozen After Cooking?
It’s not recommended to refreeze beef bones after making broth. The high cooking temperatures further degrade the tissues. Broth made from previously frozen, cooked bones will likely be weaker in flavor.
Key Takeaways On Freezing Bones
Here are the top tips for freezing beef bones:
- Vacuum seal bones for up to 6 months storage
- Label bags with date and use within timeframe
- Check for spoilage like odor, discoloration
- Never thaw at room temperature
- Cook thawed bones within 1-2 days
- Don’t refreeze bones after cooking
Following these guidelines will maintain bones’ freshness so your eventual broth shines with deep flavor. Happy simmering!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions on freezing beef bones:
How long can you freeze raw beef bones?
In vacuum sealed bags, raw beef bones can be frozen for up to 6 months. In open containers, use bones within 1-2 months.
Do bones get freezer burned?
Yes, they can get freezer burned without vacuum sealing, causing dryness and off-flavors.
Can you freeze bones in water?
It’s not recommended. Freezing in water can promote bacterial growth. Vacuum seal bones dry for best results.
What happens if you use old, freezer burned bones?
The broth may taste stale, have off-odors, and lack the full beefy flavor. It’s best to use fresh bones.
Can you refreeze beef bones after cooking broth?
No, don’t refreeze cooked bones. The quality continues to diminish with each freeze-thaw cycle.
How do you thaw frozen bones safely?
Always thaw slowly in the fridge or cold water. Never leave at room temp for hours.
With proper freezing and storage techniques, beef bones can be kept fresh for those days when only a steaming mug of homemade broth will do. Stay cozy!
Ready to cook the best steak ever…from home!
Grab our Steakhouse at Home Ebook! It’s an instant download so you can start using it tonight![vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html]
Marrow bones stem from long, strong bones such as the femur. The tasty marrow that these bones are full of is where the name “marrow bones” comes from! Marrow bones can be cut in a few different ways:
- If you leave the long bone whole, you can smoke it as a dog bone.
- Cut into wheels to use in stews and soups, for roasted marrow, or to make dog treats.
- Cut canoe-style for roasted beef bone marrow recipes
Marrow bones can come from the tibia (lower hind leg), humerus (upper front leg), ulna, or radius (lower front leg). The femur is likely to be the source of marrow bones.
The rib bones are found in the ribcage of beef cattle. These can be found on short ribs, prime rib steaks and roasts, chicago ribs, and more.
You can ask for these bones to be added to your side or quarter of beef when you place your order. Though the ribs may be small, some cooks enjoy utilizing them to create a delicious stock!.
Along with the base of the spine, this pelvic bone is joined together. The abattoir splits it into two. These bones tend to be softer.
These bones are from the shoulders, one from each side. Much like the pelvic bone, these bones are also softer than long bones.
Aside from the meat, oxtail, shank, prime rib, t-bones, short ribs, and other bones are often cooked with it.
Looking to Make Roasted Marrow Bones?
Ask your butcher for canoe-cut marrow bones. These are long bones that are cut length-wise to reveal the marrow interior. If you can’t find canoe-cut bones, you can use marrow bone wheels. Roast the marrow bones at 450˚F for about 15-25 minutes and serve with crusty bread.