You might be one of the people who’ve heard or read about this strange-sounding concoction called Bone Broth, but you’re not sure how to make it. Lots of NNBeefers have discovered it’s pretty easy and very worth the little bit of effort it takes. Here’s how we cook up a batch here at the ranch. We hope this liquid nutritional gold becomes a regular staple in your home!
We throw all our leftover roast, rib, and steak bones in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and save them til a 1-gallon bag is full. I add any raw bones that came with my order, or if that’s a bunch, add 3 or 4 to each batch, or cook only raw bones together. No hard & fast rules here. Throw them in your instant pot or slow cooker, fill nearly to the top (or as marked) with purified water, then add 1T apple cider vinegar (we’re Bragg’s fans). Let the pot sit, turned off - unless you have a delay feature, for 1 hour. (Set a timer so you don’t forget!) This allows the vinegar to break down the bones enough to let all those valuable minerals leach into your broth as it cooks. Cover and turn your instant pot to the Broth setting (mine is 4 hours, and I use natural release) or the slow cooker to LOW and simmer for about 48 hours. Add more purified water at about 24 hours, if needed, to refill what’s evaporated. This produces a rich bone broth packed with hard-to-get trace minerals and collagen. It won’t be especially savory unless you opt to add some salt at this point, which I typically do.
Another variation is to add some veggies and herbs for the last 6 hours – celery, carrots, onions, leftover veggies or scraps, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, etc. This will infuse more flavor and nutrition and is a great way to use your kitchen veggie scraps. Double strain it to produce a rich, clear, delicious broth. Start with a colander, pressing down the solids on round one to release as much goodness as possible. Then, filter once more through a finer sieve or cheesecloth.
It’s a good idea to refrigerate your finished broth to let any fat solidify at the top, then skim it off and discard it into the trash. Since broth cooks for an extended time, there are concerns that fat could oxidize and become unhealthy to consume. So ditch the fat just in case. You won’t miss it a bit!
Now, pour yourself a warmed-up cup of gold, salted to taste, and feel the goodness soaking in! Freeze by the pint or quart to use later in soups and stews.
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