If you haven’t made your own broth (or stock) at home before, well, it’s better late than never! Bone broth in particular is one of the most affordable and nourishing foods you can make at home – literally it will cost you next to nothing for litres of this delicious broth. So stop buying store bought broth now. 🙂
Bone broth is the liquid that is left over after after you simmer meaty bones and connective tissue in water – I love to add additional vegetables, herbs and spices for added flavour and nutrients too. Having your own broth on hand means you have a nutritious and delicious base to soups, stews, sauces, can be enjoyed straight, added into bolognaise, used to cook your rice/quinoa/pasta in – basically anything to add additional nutrients and flavour!
Bone broth and stock are similar – bone broth though is typically simmered for an extensive period of time, and draws more nutrients from the bones. Stocks can be either bone and/or vegetable and not cooked for as long. Either way – it’s time to grab out your big stock pot or slow cooker and get simmering !
(read more on the benefits of bone broth here)
Bone Broth
Equipment
- Large Stock Pot or slow cooker
Ingredients
- Bone broth: Use (ideally organic) knuckle and neck bones, shanks and oxtails. You can also use marrow bones, too. But I find too much marrow creates a greasy / oily broth. Just ask your local butcher! Note: If you roast your bones prior, you will get a richer flavour
- Chicken Broth: Use a whole chicken, chicken feet, the frame of a roasted chicken etc. Basically anything from the chicken. So next time you cook up a roast chook, save those bones!
- 1-2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar This helps draw out the nutrients from the bones
- 1 tbsp Black peppercorns
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Garlic bulb slightly crushed
- Any left over vegetables off cuts such as carrots, onion, celery/leaves (optional, not essential) TIP: I save these when I prep dinner and just put in a bag and freeze so I have all the off cuts when I'm ready to make a batch!)
- Enough water to 3/4 fill your pot or to cover your bones
- NOTE: You can really add any flavours / spices to your broth that you like! Just about anything goes!
Instructions
- It's as simple as throwing everything into a stock pot, filling with water that it covers the bones and some. Bring to the boil over medium – high heat and then turn heart down to low.
- Simmer, uncovered for at least 8 hours and up to 16 hours. Skim any foam that appears at the surface of the broth over that time.
- Once done, strain the broth and discard the bones / vegetables. Be careful the bones will be super hot !
- Pop the broth in the fridge over night and remove the excess fat that solidifies on the top. Your cold broth should look like jelly. 🙂
- Scoop the broth into jars or containers. I use silicon muffin tray / moulds and pop them in the freezer. Once frozen, I then transfer the frozen moulds into containers and store. That way I have on hand approx 1 cup size of broth anytime I need.
- Broth can be stored in the fridge for up to a week (remember it's a meat), but in the freezer for 6mths. But mine definitely doesn't last that long!