First you need to clearly understand that beef broth is a liquid product obtained by boiling beef meat in water. Many people mistakenly think that boiling a broth is a couple of trifles. Indeed, the cooking process is relatively simple. But on this issue there are a number of subtleties that you must know.
Broth classification
Depending on which product is processed, the broths are distinguished:
- meat;
- fish;
- vegetable;
- from the bird.
Each of them is prepared in its own way. The result is a product that can be used in two ways in the future:
- As a completely independent dish.
- As an ingredient for making sauces, gravy and various hot dishes.
In cooking, all broths according to external organoleptic properties are divided into: white (transparent) and red (having a characteristic light brown hue). It all depends on the pre-treatment of the main product. For example, red beef broth can be obtained if the meat is slightly fried or smoked before cooking. The product, in addition to color, acquires an additional piquant aroma. Rice, dumplings or pasta cooked on such a broth will be much tastier. The desired shade can also be achieved using various food colors. This makes the relatively simple dish more appealing in appearance.
Beneficial features
If we talk about meat, then beef broth is the most famous. It has several advantages over the rest. Firstly, beef meat contains a huge amount of healthy protein and valuable minerals. No wonder it is considered dietary. Secondly, this product is quickly digested and well absorbed by the human body, which allows not to overload the intestines with the accumulation of harmful fermentation products and putrefactive microflora. Doctors recommend beef broth not only to people suffering from stomach problems, but also to those who undergo rehabilitation after complex operations. In this case, it is better to use whole pieces of meat without bones for cooking. It is known that it is in them that salts of heavy metals accumulate, which in the process of preparation gradually turn into water and have an adverse effect on the body. In addition, bone tissue contains gelatin, which turns a clear broth into a thick and often cloudy liquid. This is both good and bad. Outwardly, such a decoction looks inconspicuous, but it turns out to be more bold and saturated. On such a broth it’s good to cook first courses.
Cooking secrets
Even a novice cook knows how to cook beef broth. This will require a very simple set of products:
- 300 g of beef meat with a bone 100 g of carrots and onions, 50 g of parsley roots, salt, one and a half liters of cold water and a little black pepper.
The whole process can be divided into several stages:
- Rinse the meat thoroughly, free from the films, cut into several pieces randomly and place in a pan.
- Pour the product with cold water and put on fire. After boiling, drain and refill the pan.
- As soon as the water boils again it is necessary to reduce the fire, add salt and cover the pan. In this position, the meat should be slowly boiled for about 2 hours.
- About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, pour washed and chopped vegetables, roots and pepper into the pan.
- Strain the finished product, pour into a soup plate and serve. For flavor, you can add fresh herbs.
Energy and nutritional value of the broth
When compiling a daily menu, housewives should pay attention not only to the taste of the products and food addictions of the household. An important indicator for a healthy diet is the
energy value of the dish. Take, for example, beef broth. Its calorie content is low. It is only 4 kilocalories per 100 g of finished product. This is quite a bit. Such an energy reserve does not overload the body. However, there is a slight subtlety. If you take young veal for cooking a decoction, then the indicators will be within the specified value. But if you use meat on the bone, then the broth will turn out to be quite bold, and the calorie level will be off scale. In addition, the amount of starting products must be considered. If, for example, 300 g of ordinary adult beef is taken per 1 liter of cold water, then the calorie content will immediately increase to 60 units.
The nutritional value of beef broth is directly related to the chemical properties of meat. It practically does not contain carbohydrates. The energy necessary for human life comes from fats and proteins. In addition, beef contains substances that have anti-inflammatory effects, which sometimes helps to cope with malaise with colds.
The benefits of beef broth
You can not judge the benefits of any dish only by its energy value. Its chemical composition is much more important. Take, for example, beef broth. Calories in it are not the main thing. The secret of its special value lies in the rich set of useful minerals and vitamins of group B. Beef meat contains so many amino acids and natural proteins that are necessary for humans that it can easily be used for the prevention and treatment of many serious diseases. Daily consumption of this unique product can increase immunity, improve metabolic processes in the body. This healing broth can easily restore a weakened body and overcome anemia. However, all this applies only to a natural, freshly prepared product. Sometimes the broth, prepared for future use in large quantities, is frozen for a long time. After defrosting, of course, it loses some of its beneficial properties, but retains taste and nutritional value. That is why a decoction of beef meat must be at hand with a good housewife.