This was originally posted to news websites in timeline #00347-FAF on Wednesday October 16, 2080, during the 50th Anniversary remembrances of The Fracturing. It was reposted to Fluffybooru on October 16, 2018, by timeline terrorists, and is reposted here to preserve the historical record.
ASK FLUFFIESAREFOOD
Volume 1 Number 37
Happy Hump Day, Fluffherders! It’s time again for another installation of Ask Fluffiesarefood! Today is October 16, 2080, the 50th anniversary of the surrender of Poland to Russian forces, marking Russia’s first major victory of WWIII. At the time, America, still reeling from its own civil war, was in no position to respond to the invasion of Europe militarily; but they still had economic might, and used it to loan the major European powers as much money as they needed to fight their war. These events, distant as they seem, would soon play a vital part in the adoption of the fluffy as the most important livestock animal in North America.
Speaking of stock, today we’re going to discuss making fluffy stock, which is an autumn tradition in my home. Fluffy stock is easy to make, economical, and a tasty addition to any recipe. All you need is some scraps from the last few roasted fluffies and a few vegetables!
FLUFFY STOCK
INGREDIENTS
4-5 pounds (2kg) of fluffy bones. Just save them in the refrigerator after every meal until you have enough.
1 pound (400g) of leg meat or foal meat
1 tablespoons (30mL) pure olive oil
1-2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1-2 large carrots, cut into 5cm segments
Handful of celery tops, or 1 large celery rib, cut into 2-3cm segments
2-3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
Handful of parsley, stems and leaves
1-2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub a little olive oil over the meat pieces, carrots, and onions. Place stock bones, stew meat or fluffy meat scraps, carrots and onions in a large, shallow roasting pan. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, turning the bones and meat pieces half-way through the cooking, until nicely browned. If bones begin to char at all during this cooking process, lower the heat. They should brown, not burn.
When the bones and meat are nicely browned, remove them and the vegetables and place them in a large stock pot. Place the roasting pan on the stove-top on low heat (will cover 2 burners), pour 1/2 cup to a cup of hot water over the pan and use a metal spatula to scrape up all of the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour the browned bits and water into the stock pot.
Add celery tops, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the stock pot. Fill the stock pot with cold water, to 1 to 2 inches over the top of the bones. Put the heat on high and bring the pot to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to low. If you have a candy or meat thermometer, the temperature of the water should be between 180° and 200°F (boiling is 212°F). The stock should be at a bare simmer, just a bubble or two coming up here and there. (You may need to put the pot on your smallest burner on the lowest temp, or if you are using an oven-safe pot, place it in the oven at 190°F.) Cover the pot loosely and let simmer low and slow for 3-6 hours. Do not stir the stock while cooking. Stirring will mix the fats in with the stock, clouding up the stock.
As the stock cooks, fat will be released from the bone marrow and stew meat and rise to the top. From time to time check in on the stock and use a large metal spoon to scoop away the fat and any scum that rises to the surface. (Do not put this fat down your kitchen drain — it’s too useful! Save it for cooking or to make fluffy tallow bread. Besides, it’ll clog your sink.)
At the end of cooking time (when you want to end the cooking is up to you, 3 hours minimum, 8 hours is best) use tongs or a slotted spoon to gently remove the bones and vegetables from the pot (compost the vegetables and save the bones for bone meal, though if you see a chunk of marrow, taste it, it’s delicious). Line another large pot (8-quart) with a fine mesh sieve, covered with a couple layers of cheesecloth if you have it. Pour the stock through the sieve to strain it of remaining solids. Let cool to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator.
One the stock has chilled, any fat remaining will have risen to the top and solidified. The fat forms a protective layer against bacteria while the stock is in the refrigerator. If you plan to freeze the stock however, remove and discard the fat, pour the stock into a jar or plastic container. (You can also remove the fat, and boil the stock down, concentrating it so that it doesn’t take as much storage space.) Leave an inch head room from the top of the stock to the top of the jar, so that as the stock freezes and expands, it will not break the container.
Which leads us to our first fluffy stock recipe:
guodzilla writes:
Dear Fluffies are Food: Do you have any recipes for fluffy-foal chowder? I’m curious if one can do New England or Manhattan style.
Well guodzilla, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that fluffy doesn’t taste anything like clams, so you can’t really do a New England or Manhattan-style chowder. But you can do a fluffy corn chowder, which has a magnificent rich taste. All you need is a skillet and a crock pot!
CROCK POT CORN AND FLUFFY CHOWDER
INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground fluffy meat (leg meat works)
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
3 cups potatoes (diced)
1 can (abot 500mL) cream-style corn
1 and 1/2 cups fluffy stock
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil (crushed)
Dash of pepper
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground fluffy meat with the onion. Make sure there’s no red or pink. Drain thoroughly.
Transfer the meat and onions to the slow cooker. Add the diced potatoes, cream corn, fluffy stock, salt, basil, and pepper.
Cover and cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.
Enjoy!
Ask FluffiesAreFood is a service of the Fluffherders’ Association of America. If you have a question about raising, slaughtering, or eating of fluffies, you may comment here.