How To Make Bone Broth

You’ve probably heard all about chicken soup as a health remedy for a cold or flu, but you might not know that the secret ingredient is the nutritious broth!

Brodo, the annex to Chef Marco Canora’s Hearth restaurant in NYC’s East Village, can’t keep up with demand for the restorative bone broth as evidenced by the masses lined up at the window and huddling in the cold sipping steaming cups of the healing elixir. Canora is taking a gamble that the much-touted benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet will lead people to what he calls “the world’s first comfort food.” Rich in gelatin and other nutritive properties derived from the bones that enrich Canora’s stock, the soups are believed to ease joint pain and contribute to overall health–and Canora should know. {Source: Epicurious}

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But wait, we’re confused. What exactly is the difference between stock, broth, and bone broth? They all have water, vegetables, aromatics, and meat, right? (With the exception of vegetable broth, of course.)  Add to that the fact that many people (and store-bought carton labels) seem to use the terms interchangeably. To answer this burning question, I found answers at Epicurious, a reliable source. This is what they say:

Broth is water simmered with vegetables, aromatics, and meat, and can include some bones. It is cooked for a short period of time, usually 45 minutes to 2 hours, then strained and seasoned. The goal of broth is to use a combination of ingredients to create a light, flavorful liquid that can be enjoyed on it’s own as a soup (or soup base along with other ingredients). Broth usually stays fluid when chilled.

Stock is water simmered with vegetables, aromatics, and animal bones, sometimes roasted, and sometimes with some meat still attached. It is cooked for a medium period of time, usually 4 to 6 hours, then strained. It is usually not seasoned at this stage. The goal of stock is to extract the collagen from the connective tissues and bones being simmered, which give stock its thick, gelatinous quality. When chilled, good stock should have the texture and jiggle of Jell-O. Stock is not served on its own; rather, it’s used to deglaze a pan, or as a base for a rich sauce or gravy. Stock is also a great binder to use instead of cream or butter, or used in a broth-like manner (just add some water to it).

Bone broth is really a hybrid of broth and stock. The base is more stock-like, as it is usually made from roasted bones, but there can sometimes be some meat still attached. It is cooked for a long period of time, often more than 24 hours, and the goal is to not only extract the gelatin from the bones, but also release the nutritious minerals. It is then strained and seasoned to be enjoyed on its own, like broth.

Making pork bone broth for Tonkatsu Ramen in Osaka, Japan.

Bone broth is made from parts of the animal you typically throw away, like the bones and joints. But the bone marrow contains high levels of a protein called collagen, which is jam packed with many beneficial amino acids. Humans can’t digest bones, so the bones need to be simmered for a long time which breaks down the collagen into a more digestible and softer form, called gelatin.

It’s this gelatin that contains the nutrients that helps repair the lining of your gut (you’ve heard about, or maybe suffer from, leaky gut) and improve your immune system. Now that we’re getting into the flu season, I think this is the perfect time to share what has become my favorite beef bone broth recipe.

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How To Make Bone Broth

Bone broth is rich in flavor, and gelatin which contains all the healing nutrients. You can drink it alone, use it as a soup base, or add it to any recipe that needs a boost of hearty flavor!

Author: Priscilla

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pounds of mixed beef bones short ribs, oxtails, knuckles, and neck bones
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium carrots chopped
• 3 celery stalks chopped
• 2 medium yellow onions chopped
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• Water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Arrange bones on a baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 1 hour, about 30 minutes per side.
3. Meanwhile roughly chop carrots, celery, and onions. Discard these later, so no need to be precise.
4. Place roasted bones, chopped veggies, bay leaf and apple cider vinegar in large stock pot.
5. Cover the ingredients with water, the water should be 2 inches above. Heat pot over high heat until at a rapid simmer. Reduce heat to low and cover simmer on low for 20 to 24 hours. Periodically, skim off the foam on top. Add water if the water level goes below ingredients
6. After the broth has darkened to a rich brown color, remove it from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Place the broth in a large container and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, place it in fridge to chill. Scrape off any solidified fat that rises to the top before using.

Recipe Notes

If you want the digestive and immune boosting benefits of bone broth, you HAVE to be drinking bone broth made from a healthy animal (i.e. grass-fed, pasture-raised).

Photo Credit: Dulzidar - iStockphoto

One thing about bone broth is it’s really time consuming to make. To extract the nutrients, you’ll need to simmer the bones in water for 20-24 hours. So cooking a big batch on the weekend is a great idea – I usually take advantage of game day because usually one of us is glued to the TV and the pot can simmer away. Then, divide the broth into little canning jars and you’ll have broth for most of the week, or pour it into freezer containers and freeze for your next batch of soup.

If you don’t have the time (or desire) to devote to making homemade bone broth, you can supplement your daily bone broth diet with some purchased product. Recently, I’ve been buying bone broth online from Kettle & Fire whose product is made entirely from organic ingredients and bones from grass-fed cattle. Kettle & Fire’s broth is shelf-stable for about 2 years, so you can stock your pantry for months. Check out their online store and use the promo code “SHESCOOKIN15” to get 15% off your first order.

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link to help support my website. I received no compensation for this post and opinions expressed are my own.