Bone Broth

Helpful tips: 

• You will get approximately half the volume of the pot's full capacity per batch of broth. If you start with an 8 quart pot and fill it according to these instructions, you should get about 4 quarts of broth.
• You will need approximately 1-1.25 lb of bones per quart of pot space.
• Unused raw bones can be refrozen so long as they are fresh and unspoiled. Do not refreeze bones after using for stock.
• I strongly suggest making a second batch of broth immediately after the first is finished. In some cases, you can even get a third batch. See below for instructions.
• You can mix bone types if desired. Pure chicken broth will be lightest in color and mildest in flavor. Pork broth will have the highest gelatin content and will yield a mid-range broth with regard to color and flavor. Beef broth tastes the most distinctive (it's very beefy) and will be darkest in color. 
• Always use a lid.

Begin by selecting the pot you wish to you. You may also use a crockpot. Either pot must have a lid during cooking to prevent excessive evaporation during cooking and contamination during cooling.

Place in the empty pot the quantity of bones you wish to use. Try to pack the bones in fairly tightly. The denser the bone placement, the richer the broth will turn out. If you leave too much space, the broth will taste watery. Thawed bones will be easier to pack into the pot, but frozen is ok if it's all you have. If the bones are frozen in big chunks, leaving lots of open space in your pot, consider adding less water or plan to move the bones around once they have thawed in the water. Stop adding bones when you get within 1-2 inches of the rim of the pot.

If desired, add chopped vegetables such as carrots, celery, and onion, and fresh herbs such as parsley, ginger, garlic, chives, thyme, and oregano. This is not required, but if you choose to add veggies, it will round out the flavor profile of your broth. However, *most* of the time, I do not use brand-new veggies in my broth because I feel it is a bit wasteful, preferring to wait until I use the broth to incorporate the vegetables in the dish we will eat. I do try to make a point of saving vegetable trimmings* such as potato peels, carrot tops, squash tips, etc, for broth, but do not always have them available. Do not use any spoiled or moldy vegetable trimmings.

*Please note that this is my method for personal use broth--not for our broth packaged for retail sale, which is produced in a licensed facility with raw ingredients.

Take care if you wish to use stronger-tasting vegetables such as bell pepper, rosemary, turnips, etc, as they will impart significant flavor to the broth and everything you cook with that broth will have a similar taste profile. 

Cover the contents of the pot with water, bringing the water just to the top of the bones, or slightly below. Leave at least 1" of headspace for expansion during heating. Add 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar per quart of pot space to help draw out minerals from the bones (optional). 

Place the lid snugly on the pot. Set the crockpot to low and cook for 24 hours. For stovetop cooking, place the pot over medium heat, staying near to reduce the heat to a simmer after it begins boiling. Simmer for 12-24 hours, covered. 

If foam begins to appear on the surface of the water, skim it off with a large spoon and discard. 

Adjust the heat after an hour or two so that you see a visible simmer, but not a rolling boil, throughout cooking. For my stove, this is between "Warm" and "Low." Make sure the pot is not touching anything while it is on the stove. 

After the cooking time has passed, an easy way to manage the broth is this: Turn the heat off and, without removing the lid, let it cool for 4 hours. Pour the liquid through a strainer into containers (see below) and chill. Do not remove the fat, as it both adds nourishment, and helps preserve the broth from spoilage.

You can immediately replace the water in your pot to make a second round of broth, but take care not to add too much water. Again, only fill in the water to the top of the bones. For the second batch, you will find the bones have cooked down significantly, so you will not get as much broth from the second run, but I usually find it is still worth doing with a large pot. 

Container options:

• Glass jars: Will not freeze well, but should keep, refrigerated, for at least 2 weeks if the fat layer is left undisturbed.
• Plastic containers: Good choice for freezing. Do not overfill or they may expand and crack. If this happens, thaw the entire container in a bowl so you can salvage the broth.
• Ice trays: A convenient option for small servings of broth. Be sure to wash thoroughly after use or your ice will taste like chicken. :-) 
• Silicon molds: Broth-sickles! Just kidding. This would be a convenient option for larger chunks of broth if you're limited on containers. Freeze, pop, then store in a larger sealed container. 

Frozen broth should store well for at least a few months. 

Note: Be sure to season the broth to taste with a good mineral sea salt before consuming. It's very bland without salt! Or use it in place of water in any recipe!