Homemade Bone Broth

Today’s post is all about how to make Homemade Bone Broth, a delicious nutrient-dense broth made from leftover bones.

When I was more on the amateurish side of this whole cook thing, I looked at making stocks and broths as some masterful undertaking. It should then be no surprise that when  I finally made my own, I felt incredibly proud.

Standing there over my stockpot anticipating the flavors of the homemade concoction. Made solely by my hands. It was a moment to realize how far I had come in my cooking journey.

On these cold winter days, I have a pot simmering away most Sundays to refill my supply for the week ahead. I stick to making rich bone broths over stocks rather, not only for the delicious taste but for the many health benefits. If you are not aware of these, I will list a few below in the question section. 

You can make bone broth with just about any bones. Chicken, turkey, beef, duck whatever you got. Just use them, bones are valuable. There I said it.

For the from-scratch cook, it’s nearly a crime to throw away perfectly good bones. Instead, grab a freezer bag and toss them in there for later use. Or grab a pot and begin simmering your bones to store the broth for future meals. It is that easy to have a delicious, nutrient-packed homemade bone broth on hand.

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Tools You Might Need

a large stock pot

something to store it in (mason jars or milk jugs work great)

a strainer

What You’ll Need To Make It

sea salt (2 tbsp for every 12 cups of water)

12 cups of water

a poultry carcass or beef bones

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp whole peppercorns

3 cloves of garlic whole

herbs (optional) I like to use a bundle of rosemary or a bay leaf

Directions

Place the bones or carcasses in the pot. Fill the pot completely making sure the water just covers all the bones. If you need more than 12 cups of water to do so, add the extra water. This recipe can be doubled to make larger batches. Add in the rest of the ingredients according to the amount you will be making. Pour in a generous amount of salt, every 12 cups of water will need 2 tbsp of salt.

Place the pot over low heat and allow it to slowly simmer on the stovetop for a minimum of 10 hours. The longer you simmer the bones, the more nutrient-dense your broth will be. If possible, I like to simmer mine for an entire 10-12 hour day.

Turn the heat off at night and come back to it in the morning to simmer it for another 10 hours. For a total of 20 hours of simmering on the stovetop. You don’t need to simmer yours for that long since you can have bone broth from a slow all-day simmer.

If you are using beef bones, a lot of times there will be a bit of foam which is normal. You can take a slotted spoon and skim the top to remove that as it simmers.

When the broth is ready, turn the heat off. Place a large bowl in the sink with a strainer inside to catch the bones. Transfer all the liquid to their storage containers. I find these Le Parfait Milk Jugs to work perfectly. Mason Jars will also do the trick nicely. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days or freeze. 

FAQ

How do I store bones from meals for later use?

What I do is put the carcasses in a gallon-sized freezer bag, let the air out, and store them in the freezer until I need more bone broth. 

How do I store the bone broth?

I store mine in Le Parfait milk bottles. But you can also store them in mason jars or any air-tight container that you have. Keep in mind true bone broth becomes thick when cold and is no longer in liquid form. Just make sure the container you use allows you to scoop it out when ready to use it.

How long does fresh broth last?

It will last about 7 days and should be kept in the fridge. For longer shelf life, you can freeze your broth in gallon-size freezer bags or ice cube trays for smaller portioning. 

Why is bone broth good for  you?

Bone broth is rich in minerals that help build and strengthen your bones. It’s rich in amino acids and has been linked to improved skin, hair, and nails. It contains essential fatty acids and vitamins that are beneficial to our bodies.

What is the difference between stock and bone broth?

There are two main differences between the two. The first is the length of time it takes to boil the bones. With stock, you can have homemade stock ready within 4 hours of boiling. As opposed to bone broth, a much longer process. Bones for bone broth should be boiled at a minimum of 10-12 hours and up to 48 hours.

For bone broth, we are essentially trying to break down those bones and get all of the nutrients from them and this takes boiling them at a much longer time frame than a stock. The longer the bones boil, the more nutrient-dense the bone broth will be. You can also opt to roast your bones prior to boiling in the oven at 425℉ for 30 minutes to enrich the flavor but it is not a necessary step in the process.

Secondly, we are adding an acid in the form of apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice). This is to help extract the nutrients from the bones whereas, with stock, acid is not a requirement.

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Le Parfait 16 oz Milk Jugs Set of 6

Mason Jars 32oz Set of 12

8 qt Stockpot with Lid

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