Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Maybe you can help me solve a cooking mystery. I have been saving vegetable scraps in the freezer and making broth out of them by boiling them in water for about an hour. The last time I did this, something went wrong--the broth was very bitter, and I had to throw it out. I have no idea what I put in there, so don't ask!
Any experience in what to NOT put in the pot when making vegetable broth? I did a bit of Googling, and I read stay away from cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, garlic and tomatoes, but then other sites I looked at mentioned these as okay ingredients.
Are you actually allowing the water to come to a full rolling boil for the entire hour? I'd turn it down to a very low simmer once it has reached the boiling point.
Without knowing what you've put in there it's very difficult to say where you've gone wrong. I'd personally stay away from broccoli as I think it's overwhelming but then most of my vegetable broths have been based on celery, carrots, leeks, parsnips and onions.
I make veggie broths all the time and to be truthful there isn't much I won't use. However, that said, I do keep separate freezer bags to put stuff in....
I'll put peelings, ends, pieces and veg that just need to be used in freezer bags till I have enough. I put onions, carrots, celery, parsley & cilantro, potato, and tomato in one bag. In another I'll put the stronger veg: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, rhutabaga, etc. Depending on what I'm making, the stronger veg add a deeper flavor.
But for your question: I can't speak specifically but sometimes greens like kale or mustard will give a bitter flavor. A teaspoon or two of sugar (I use honey) will fix it. Be careful taht nothing you're using has started to "turn" tho....nothing can fix that taste! Luck!
I make veggie broths all the time and to be truthful there isn't much I won't use. However, that said, I do keep separate freezer bags to put stuff in....
I'll put peelings, ends, pieces and veg that just need to be used in freezer bags till I have enough. I put onions, carrots, celery, parsley & cilantro, potato, and tomato in one bag. In another I'll put the stronger veg: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, rhutabaga, etc. Depending on what I'm making, the stronger veg add a deeper flavor.
But for your question: I can't speak specifically but sometimes greens like kale or mustard will give a bitter flavor. A teaspoon or two of sugar (I use honey) will fix it. Be careful taht nothing you're using has started to "turn" tho....nothing can fix that taste! Luck!
Thanks for the tips. Perhaps you are right in saying something started to "turn." I usually add a seasoning called Vegeta to my vegetable broths (a European seasoning I learned about through my Hungarian mother-in-law--you can order it online, it's great). Anyway, added the Vegeta, and even that didn't help. I doubt sugar would have either, but I'll keep that in mind for the future!
By the way, I have been to Wrangell Island, AK--I assume that is your town? Fond memories of that beautiful area!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
