Whether or not you partake in the trend of sipping a mug of bone broth for its
numerous health benefits, or you just want a delicious base for soups and to add flavor to whole grains, this recipe is a great place to start. Don’t be put off by the long cooking time, the pot can simmer unwatched for hours or even overnight with a very low flame (as long as you’re comfortable with this and follow all necessary safety precautions). You can even use a slow-cooker! The result is a large quantity of marvelously flavorful broth that tastes great on it’s own and can be used in any recipe that calls for broth.
Money-Saving Tip: When you’re chopping vegetables for any recipe, collect the ends of onions, celery, carrots, and leeks in a bag and store in the freezer. Save leftover chicken bones (or beef bones) in a separate bag. When you have enough, make bone broth! You don’t need the full 5 lbs. of bones called for in this recipe. If you have fewer bones and vegetables, just reduce the amount water accordingly.
Beef Bone Broth
Total Time: 12 hr. 20 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 12 hr.
Yield: approximately 2½ to 3 quarts, or 40 ¼ cup servings
Ingredients:
5 lbs. beef back (or neck) bones (or chicken carcasses or lamb bones)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)
2 medium onions, cut into quarters (or 2 leeks, coarsely chopped)
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
4 medium celery stalk ends, coarsely chopped
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
Cold water
Preparation:
1. Place bones, vinegar, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large stock pot.
2. Add enough water to cover bone mixture by 1 to 2 inches, leaving room at the top of the pan. Cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; gently boil for 1 hour. Remove any meat left on bones. Set meat aside for future use.
3. Return bones to a gentle boil for 2 to 24 hours, or until bones crumble and look bleached. (Gently boil chicken bones for 6 to 12 hours, or until they crumble.)
4. Skim off any foam that develops during cooking.
5. Strain liquid using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
6. Use broth immediately or refrigerate for up to three days.
Tips:
• Bones can be roasted for 30 to 60 minutes before boiling. This caramelizes the bones and gives the broth even better flavor.
• Bone broth can be cooled and frozen.
• Save any fat from the broth. It is highly nutritious and can be used to roast vegetables or make soups.
