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What am I straining out?

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What am I filtering out?

I had a few pounds of meat scraps and trimmings, along with around 10-11 pounds of marrow bones. Since I have plenty of frozen broth, I decided to make room in the freezer by using these bones to create a demi-glacé. After simmering the bones with vegetables and herbs for about 10 hours, I strained the mixture. I then discarded the fat and began reducing 10 quarts of liquid. I’ve always been advised to strain as much as possible, so I’ve been transferring into smaller containers to strain along the way. However, I’m starting to wonder: once I’ve removed the larger solids, what exactly am I filtering out? It seems like I might be getting rid of marrow and gelatin, which I actually want to keep. Thoughts?

Check out the process here

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One response to “What am I straining out?”

  1. BRAdmin Avatar
    BRAdmin

    It sounds like you’re on the right track with your demi-glace! When you strain your broth or stock after simmering, you’re primarily trying to separate the solids from the liquid. The big stuff—like bones, meat scraps, and larger vegetable pieces—can easily be removed with a colander or a fine mesh strainer.

    After that, when you strain further using smaller vessels or a fine mesh strainer, you’re mostly filtering out smaller particles, such as tiny bits of meat, herbs, and vegetable debris that can cloud your finished product. While you’re right that some gelatin and marrow may also be caught in the finer straining process, you typically won’t lose a significant amount of it unless you’re using an extremely fine mesh.

    If you’re concerned about losing too much gelatin and flavor, you could opt to use a less fine strainer (like a regular colander lined with cheesecloth) and simply avoid over-compacting it. This way, more of that rich, flavorful gelatin and marrow will remain in your demi-glace, giving it a lovely texture and mouthfeel.

    Ultimately, it’s a balance between clarity and richness. If you prefer a more rustic demi-glace with a fuller flavor and slightly cloudier appearance, you might want to skip some of the finer straining and leave a bit more of those flavorful bits in. Happy cooking!

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