Bone broth - my first attempt

2 cows were picked up yesterday from the slaughterhouse.  I requested the bones back. This is my first attempt at bone broth. I read some recipes to get an understanding of the process, but i am mixing in what i have in ratios that seem appropriate.

Here are the ingredients. Bones, carrots, celery, onion. Other items not pictured are garlic, olive oil, raw apple vinegar, black pepper.

Some recipes recommended blanching the bones, some did not. I decided to blanch them. I dumped them in boiling water, turned it down to simmer,  and left it for 20 to 30 minutes.

After blanching, i roasted them at 450. Somewhere in the range of 30 minutes to an hour. If you go an hour, toss/stir them midway through. I put olive oil on the pan, added the veggies and the bones. Pics are before and after:

The roasted items were put in a pot and covered with water. I scraped the bits and bobs from the roasting pan and added them in. A tablespoon of vinegar and black pepper was added.

Interesting sidenote- none of the recipes i found had salt as an ingredient. Is that the norm? I left it out. Thought if it needed it, it could be added in before final use.

It will simmer all day.

I need some input. I simmered it all day. Maybe 6 to 8 hours. I put it in fridge overnight.

Question 1- it looks more like chicken broth (yellowish) vs a storebought bone broth (brownish). Is this normal? Needs to simmer more?

Question 2- when i took it out of fridge  it had fat on top (which i removed), but i was expecting the liquid to be gelatiness. It was not. Should it be?

I removed the fat and put it back on to simmer today.

wayne fajkus wrote:I need some input. I simmered it all day. Maybe 6 to 8 hours. I put it in fridge overnight.

Question 1- it looks more like chicken broth (yellowish) vs a storebought bone broth (brownish). Is this normal? Needs to simmer more?

Question 2- when i took it out of fridge  it had fat on top (which i removed), but i was expecting the liquid to be gelatiness. It was not. Should it be?

I removed the fat and put it back on to simmer today.

When my wife makes bone broth or beef stock, she does everything you've done so far, but she lets it simmer for days, usually 3 days. I think the color and gelatin will both come from extended simmering.

Thank you! I need to get my flate plate rocket stove going.

Here is a sample after day 1

I use a little salt. Just a little at first then more towards the end if needed for my taste buds. Not sure if that's the Betty Crocker approved way but it doesn't seem to hurt anything. I remove the fat as you did then reduce the liquid down by about 50%. It gets darker than chicken stock but not as dark as store bought. I'd guess commercial versions have a coloring added.

That makes sense mike. You do it in the beginning, it can become super salty when it concentrates.

Looks yummy. As the bones soften, you could hasten things along by pulling a few out (let them cool a bit) and use big butcher knife to break them, exposing the marrow.

I add sea salt and garlic liberally to mine.

The color is mainly from roasting the bones. Longer roasting results in darker stock. But your broth does look like it needs longer, typically I do beef and pork stock 3 days. Generally I add some salt at the beginning and some aromatic herbs, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, parsley stems.

It looks fantastic.  

Yes, if you roast the bones longer, you will get a darker broth.  You can also get a bit more color if you add brown onion skins (the dry papery stuff that people usually just peel off the outside of the onion and throw away).  Half of a small beet (SMALL) will give you a lot more color, but you don't want beet/veggie broth -- so go light on it.  Pepper corns, coriander seed, mustard seed . . . these all add a bit of color to the broth as well.

I roast the beef bones right in the same stock pot that I'll later boil them in.  No need for a roaster --- save yourself one additional thing you'll need to wash and you catch 100% of the stuff that drips from the bones.  I roast the bones for at least 5 hours, starting on a high heat as you did (450), but then turning it down to 375 after the first hour.  I'll get them roasting, and then turn the heat down and go to work, setting the timer for 5 hours.  When it turns off, the oven still stays hot for another hour or so.  Lid off, at least for the first 4 hours or so.

If I'm around, for the last hour, I'll add a few cups of water into the bottom of the pot and throw the lid on so that it steams and braises the bones.  You want the fat in the marrow to render down and drip out of the ends of the bones.  Moisture/steam helps that happen, even before you boil the bones.

Then, I'll fill the pot with water and set it on the stovetop to boil for another 5 hours, lid on.  It's an all-day caper.  I suppose that it uses a lot of energy -- you could probably use a crock pot for the last part and that would be more energy efficient.  But when I make bone broth, I fill an entire 6 gallon stock pot full of bones.  So even through the oven/stove is running most of the day, I get a LOT of stock out of it.

Good stuff!  I'm coming over for a hot mug of that goodness.

Your pictures make me hungry, even though I have a pot of beef broth on the go at the moment!

You've done well by roasting them, and by not putting too much water in the pot. The black pepper is good too, it increases the absorption of nutrients.

The time to get it to gel varies a lot. Sometimes after 24 hours my beef broth still hasn't gelled, but I keep simmering for a bit every day and it gets there eventually.

The types of bones used will also impact how well it gels. Some have more gelatin than others.

The reason for not adding salt is in case the recipe you're using has lots of salty things in it, and also so recipe writers can give better instructions - if we call for a teaspoon of salt in the final recipe, the saltiness will vary a lot depending on the broth, and people who don't like to adjust the salt by taste get annoyed with the recipes.

When I want just a mug of it, I add a splash of my soy sauce alternative, or just some salt, directly to the mug. I often make a quick kimchi soup with beef broth by adding some kimchi to the mug too.

Thanks everyone. This has been very informative!

Here is the difference after a second day. It is browning. The level went down 50%. I think my plan is to refrigerate each night. If it is not gelled in the morning i will simmer it some more. I am guessing this might be done though.

I need a bigger pot. I have 2 cows worth of bones. A bigger batch run is needed. Or maybe run it for several days, adding new bones each day. It's something i need to ponder. My plan is to make it all and pressure can it. In a couple of months i'll be harvesting 5 sheep that will be turned into a potato carrot stew. This broth will serve as the base for that.

Another thought since you have plenty of bones. If you keep reducing the liquid until it's almost gone then dehydrate the remaining gooey bits it becomes something like beef boullion. It has very strong flavor. Great for backpacking!

Out of the fridge. I did the DQ Blizzard thing. Flipped it upside down. Lol. I say it is done. I will heat it back up, season to taste, and can it.

All good stuff!

I've been getting ready to do a big batch, but was also recently gifted an Insta-Pot. Is it blasphemy to see if anyone has a tried and true method for it? I'm still getting acquainted with it.

I use the instapot for whole chickens. I separate the juice for a broth. It does it well and quickly.

Looks good. Another option is reducing it by at least half and then freezing it in ice cube trays, this concentrated stock is excellent for sauces. Some cream and a couple cubes makes an amazing sauce.

Good stuff!  I like the idea of leaving the broth unsalted when put up.  That way you can add salt to whatever you are cooking when you use it.  

What are you going to do with the bones when the broth is finished?

Scatter them on my land cause i am trying to finish my current compost pile.

When zach weiss was out at my place he probably nicknamed it the bone yard....

That batch netted 3 quarts. I got it out of the fridge to scoop the fat off the top. Gonk! The broth is a gel. I am able to scrape it off with a spoon. Gonna use that for tortillas this evening. I need to get that tool that separates fat.

I had to heat it to pour it. Tasted like something i could sip at on a cold day.

Prepping batch 2. Bones are frozen. I will take the advice of roasting the bones in the same pot. Great advice!

A couple of pictures.

First one is the cooled fat off the top. I am going to render it down some more.

Second pic is broth after scooping the fat off. Its gelatenous. Looks pretty cool.

Pressure cooker, 6 hours, and it does gel. I don't add vegetables to my broth, just bones.

awesome, wayne!  The soft bones make great dog food.

I have several gallons canned in quart and pint jars. This should last till next cattle harvest (jan 2021).

I might try holzer bone sauce with the rest of the bones. I need a break from it though.  It might be a while.

Loving this post Wayne!  Thanks for sharing your experience with photos.  Its been a while since you shared this.  Have you learned anything new since?

I am attempting to make my first batch of bone broth using elk bones, and what you have shared here and documented is very helpful.  

Bob Gallamore wrote:
What are you going to do with the bones when the broth is finished?

Bone Biochar might be a good option…  https://permies.com/t/363462/Bone-Biochar#3645799

For Sepp Holzer bone sauce do we need to use fresh uncooked bones, or will the remnants from a bone broth suffice?

Mandy Launchbury-Rainey wrote:awesome, wayne!  The soft bones make great dog food.

Interesting.  I always assumed that cooked bones were not ok to feed to our pets/animals because of the risk of the bones splintering easily into sharp shards, which can result in choking, cuts, internal bleeding, or life-threatening intestinal blockages,  Maybe the bone broth remnants are ok because they have been cooked for so long and gotten to be so soft that the splintering in no longer a danger?

Arthur said,  Maybe the bone broth remnants are ok because they have been cooked for so long and gotten to be so soft that the splintering in no longer a danger?

I have read that some folks give bones to their dogs so it depends on what kind of bones. Usually it is chicken or poultry bones that are not okay to give to dogs.

Cooking will soften the bones somewhat though some bones are still not okay to give to dogs as they will still splinter.

It is better to use the bones for biochar or bone meal.

The bone meal can be given to dogs.

Michael Adams wrote:I've been getting ready to do a big batch, but was also recently gifted an Insta-Pot. Is it blasphemy to see if anyone has a tried and true method for it? I'm still getting acquainted with it.

Why would it be blasphemy?  I don't follow...  I love making bone broth in my Instant Pot!  I do it all the time.  I collect all of my bones in the freezer together with suitable veggie scraps until they fill a big cloth mesh bag that just barely crams into the pressure cooker pot.  Fill with water and a splash of ACV and let it rip!  The broth cycle on mine takes an hour to heat up and four hours to cook.

When finished, I drain the broth, set aside, and replace the solids in the pressure cooker - hence the mesh bag, which makes things much easier to handle.  Refill with water/ACV and run it a second cycle.  I combine the broth from both cycles, strain, and refrigerate or freeze in quart jars.  Together, it takes 10 hours, so an all day job.  But also 95% hands-off.  Once the pressure cooker is going, it is completely on autopilot.

After two cycles, the smaller bones inside my bag are about ready to crumble.  I used to separate beef and lamb bones from the chicken and pork bones.  These days, I just throw everything I have into one broth.

I usually do chicken and/or turkey bones, don't roast, and throw them into the slow cooker for 1-2 days, then remove the bones and add some onion, celery, carrot, parsley, do another day, strain and use.

But I don't have such a huge quantity as you do.

If I kept something on the stove that long, though, my electric bill would likely see a spike.  I like the slow cooker for the tiny bit of electricity it uses, and because I don't need to watch it.

They are almost always available at the thrift stores.  I try to get the same models, so I can swap out parts as they break.

Forgot to mention that I add water to cover, plus a couple tablespoons of vinegar, too.

No salt; I add that when I use the finished broth.  Spent bones go into the compost pile...although I suppose I could make water soluble phosphorus (from Korean Natural Farming), maybe?

Alina Green wrote:I usually do chicken and/or turkey bones, don't roast, and throw them into the slow cooker for 1-2 days, then remove the bones and add some onion, celery, carrot, parsley, do another day, strain and use.

Why do you boil your bones and your veggies in different phases of the process?  Why not altogether?

Actually, that's a good question...after thinking about it, because there's no room in the pot for all of it!  haha

I  can actually eat the bones if cooked that long.  They come out kind of like chalk--soft enough to chew, but not mushy, kind of crunchy.

So if I do a small batch, I let the bones go a day, then add the vegs and the whole thing another day.  The vegetables don't need as long as the bones do to get soft.

Sometimes I'll do broth first, strain and freeze it, then add more water, vinegar, and vegetables, and then eat the bones from that.  So I get two batches from one batch of bones.

wayne fajkus wrote:Prepping batch 2. Bones are frozen. I will take the advice of roasting the bones in the same pot. Great advice!

Yep. If you can, roast and boil/simmer them in the same pot.  You'll save yourself some clean up, and retain all of the flavor bits.

I don't salt my bone broth because I treat it as an ingredient in something else, and I know I'll be salting the end product.

Also, rather than boil the bones and toss the first batch of water, try cleaning the bones (or do as I do and used them direct from the source) and keep the water you use to boil them for the balance of the broiling/cooking might help with the gelling factor.  You may find that during the first boil, a dirtyish foam forms on the surface of the water. I use a skimmer to remove the foam.

Roasting the bones for a longer period of time and simmering the bones for a longer time will also give you a darker, richer broth. Having said that, purchased broth often has food coloring in it. The whole point of making your own is to reduce or eliminate all the additives, preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients. Try adding blackstrap molasses if you want to have a darker color. It's a processed product but less so than than the common commercially available browning sauces. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-blackstrap-molasses

Here's that Chef Google says about getting a good gel in a bone broth:
"The element of beef bones that makes the resulting broth gel is collagen, which breaks down into gelatin during the long cooking process.
Here is a breakdown of how this process works:
Collagen source: Collagen is the primary protein found in the connective tissues, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments attached to the bones, especially in joint and knuckle bones.
Conversion to gelatin: When these collagen-rich parts are simmered gently in water for an extended period (typically 12-24 hours), the heat breaks down the insoluble collagen into soluble gelatin.
Gelling effect: As the broth cools, this dissolved gelatin re-forms, creating a rich, viscous, and "jiggly" or jelly-like consistency when refrigerated. The more collagen in the bones and the better the extraction, the firmer the gel will be.
Reversibility: When the gelled broth is reheated, the gelatin melts and turns back into a liquid, giving the hot broth a rich body and mouthfeel.
A broth that gels when chilled is a key indicator of a high-quality, nutrient-dense bone broth."

I'm thinking that your first boil (where you pitch the water) also may be pitching some or all of the collagen. Or, you are cleaning off the bone bits that contain most of the collagen.

You're lucky to have so many bones!  I would also continue to reduce the broth until, like someone else in this thread suggested, you end up with a syrup-like consistency. You can pressure cook that too, and end up with a shelf-stable beef concentrate.

Good luck and keep cooking!

It won't gel if you use too much water, cook too hot/fast (breaking down gelatin), use bones without enough connective tissue (like just marrow bones), or don't simmer long enough, while store-bought broths often skip gelatin-rich parts for clarity and shelf stability, making them less jelly-like.
It is the cartilage, skin and joints that turn gelatinous if you give them a looooong, sloooow cook. (Like more than 24 hours, for sure)
Marrow is good for flavor but won't turn to gelatin.
You want to add salt and spices just before you can the broth.

Some people buy chicken feet (aka "back scratchers"  haha) to add to bone broth, for the gelatin in all that skin and connective tissue...and toenails.  ugh.

Alina Green wrote:Some people buy chicken feet (aka "back scratchers"  haha) to add to bone broth, for the gelatin in all that skin and connective tissue...and toenails.  ugh.

Oh yes, they make a great addition!  If my freezer bag of accumulated bones and veggie scraps is at all short on bones, I will totally throw in some purchased chicken paws to round out the batch of bone broth.

Pigs feet would also make a great addition, but where I live chicken paws are cheaper.

Alina Green wrote:Some people buy chicken feet (aka "back scratchers"  haha) to add to bone broth, for the gelatin in all that skin and connective tissue...and toenails.  ugh.

Absolutely! although, personally, I like to remove the toenails but you don't have to. I leave the spurs on if I have  a rooster... Cut the chicken legs where the scales begin like you normally do. Scrub them well and clip the toe nails then.
Now, on to the scalding: keep some water boiling and immerse a few legs at a time for 20-30 seconds, then toss in freezing water. (Not too long or the scales will start to really grab the tissue underneath and you'll have a mess: It won't peel well)
(Just like peeling eggs, it is the temperature shock that loosens the scales from the legs or the shell from the hard boiled egg).
Rub the legs between your fingers and remove all the scales. They will peel off in just a couple of pieces. You now have very clean legs to use for broth: nothing objectionable about nice, clean "back scratchers".
And they do make the best broth!

Alina Green wrote:Some people buy chicken feet (aka "back scratchers"  haha) to add to bone broth, for the gelatin in all that skin and connective tissue...and toenails.  ugh.

You are so correct. Where I live I have to buy chicken feet, but the resultant broth was so delicious. I'll buy them once again but prepare them separately and add the resultant gelatin to individual brews. I suppose they would work in beef bone broth, but unless it was a voluminous beef broth, it might change the flavor. What  do you think?