Homemade Bone Broth
Let me show you how to use up your leftover veggie and bone scraps to make an incredibly frugal, flavourful, nutrient dense broth. The perfect base for soups, stews, sauces, risotto, etc. and your secret weapon to cold and flu season!
Ingredients
- 1 bones, scraps, and pan drippings from 1 whole chicken or 3 pounds of bones/joints/scraps from your choice of meat (see list in blog post above)*
- 3-4 cups veggie scraps (see list in blog post above), about a large ziplock bag full** or subsittue 1 whole onion quartered, 3 carrots roughly chopped, 3 celery stalks broken in half, 1 head of garlic halved horizontilly through the middle, and a few sprigs of fresh parsley, thyme, or rosemary (optional)
- 3-4 tablespoons sea salt
- 1-3 bay leaves depending on your taste preference
- 12 whole peppercorns
- 1 tbsp dried thyme leaves optional, if no fresh herbs are being used
- 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- water fill to an inch or two above the ingredients
Instructions
Stovetop:
- Add all of the ingredietns to an 8 quart stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest it will go and simmer for 4-6+ hours, until your liquid has reduced by at least 1/3. If any brown-grey-ish coloured foam rises to the surface as the broth is simmering, skim it off with a slotted spoon or skimmer and dispose in the sink.
- If you would like to do a 24-48 hour broth, you will need a burner that does a very low simmer. I would recommend waiting to add the veggie scraps, bay leaf, and herbs until the last 6-8 hours so your broth doesn't turn bitter.
- Strain the solids through a colander into a large bowl or measuring glass to collect the broth (be sure it is large enough to hold all of your liquid!). If there are any small bits remaining you can scoop a fine mesh strainer through the broth to get it absolutely clear. Solids can go direcely into your local organics bin for curbside pick-up, or use for your compost as you see fit (some people prefer to pick the meat/bones out for compost).
- Store broth in 4 cup containers, or whatever measurement you prefer, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a year.
Instant Pot:
- Add all of the ingredients to an 8 quart instant pot. Be sure not to fill water above the max fill line.
- Secure lid and set to high manual pressure for 120 minutes. Allow for a natural steam release (this will take an least an hour or two). I like to put my broth on in the evening and then it has cooled sufficently by the morning to handle. You want to be very careful with a full pressure cooker of liquid as it is VERY hot. Do not perform an instant pressure release, it will sputter violently.
- Strain the solids through a colander into a large bowl or measuring glass to collect the broth (be sure it is large enough to hold all of your liquid!). If there are any small bits remaining you can scoop a fine mesh strainer through the broth to get it absolutely clear. Solids can go direcely into your local organics bin for curbside pick-up, or use for your compost as you see fit (some people prefer to pick the meat/bones out for compost).
- Store broth in 4 cup containers, or whatever measurement you prefer, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a year.
Slow Cooker:
- Add all of the ingredients to a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-12 hours. If you want to do a 24-48 hour broth, I recommend waiting to add the veggie scraps, bay leaf, and herbs until the last 8-12 hours so your broth doesn't turn bitter.
- Strain the solids through a colander into a large bowl or measuring glass to collect the broth (be sure it is large enough to hold all of your liquid!). If there are any small bits remaining you can scoop a fine mesh strainer through the broth to get it absolutely clear. Solids can go direcely into your local organics bin for curbside pick-up, or use for your compost as you see fit (some people prefer to pick the meat/bones out for compost).
- Store broth in 4 cup containers, or whatever measurement you prefer, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a year.
Notes
*if using raw bones, as is often the case with beef bones, I recommend roasting them with olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400F for 45-60 minutes until nicely browned before adding them to your broth. This results in a more flavourful broth. For fish and shellfish broths, please see the links provided in the blog post above for specific recipes as the method and cook time varies.
**I recommend ensuring your veggie scraps contain a majority of onion, celery, carrot, and garlic scraps for the ideal flavouring. If your scraps are short on any of these, feel free to add in an extra whole veggie chopped up to make up the difference.