Fleurish Roasted Bone Stock

Turning leftovers into one of the most useful ingredients in the kitchen.

A good bone broth is less a recipe than a kitchen habit.

I save bones from roast chicken, turkey and beef, along with useful vegetable trimmings — carrot ends, celery, onion, leek tops and herb stems — in separate bags in the freezer. When I have enough, they become broth.

Roasting the bones first develops deeper flavor, while long, slow cooking extracts collagen from the connective tissue and turns it into gelatin. The result is a rich, savory broth that can become the foundation for dozens of other meals.

Bone Broth

Makes approximately 2–3 quarts

Ingredients

• 3–4 pounds chicken, turkey or beef bones 
• 1-2 onions or shallots, halved
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• 2-3 carrots, or ends 
• 2-3 celery stalks, or ends
• Handful of parsley stems (optional)
• 3–4 sprigs thyme
• 1–2 bay leaves
• 8–10 black peppercorns
• 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, optional
• Cold water to cover
• Bouillon, to taste
• Kosher salt, as needed

For a broth with plenty of body: include bones with connective tissue attached. Chicken or turkey wings, necks, feet, and backs are wonderful; for beef, try knuckles, joints, neck bones or oxtail. Marrow bones provide richness, but connective tissue provides much of the gelatin.

Method

1. Roast

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Arrange the bones on a roasting pan and roast for 30–45 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned.

Add a little hot water to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits. Add both the bones and this flavorful liquid to the slow cooker.

OR

Save your leftover bones from roasted chicken or beef in separate bags in the freezer

2. Slow Cook

Add bones to a slow cooker.  Add aromatics:  onions, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, herb stems and apple cider vinegar, if using.

Cover the bones with enough cold water to cover. Too much water will dilute the finished broth.

Cook on LOW for 8–12 hours for poultry or 12–18 hours for beef.

3. Add the Vegetables

Add the carrots, celery and herbs for the final 2–4 hours.

Bones benefit from a long extraction; vegetables don’t need one. Adding them toward the end keeps their flavor fresher and prevents the broth from becoming overly vegetal.

4. Strain + Reduce

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer.

For a richer, more concentrated broth, transfer it to a pot and gently simmer uncovered until it tastes the way you want it to.

5. Season

Taste first, then add bouillon a little at a time for additional savory depth. Finish with salt as needed.

Always season after reducing — as the broth concentrates, so does the salt.

Cool promptly and refrigerate. A collagen-rich broth will often become wonderfully jiggly once chilled. The fat will solidify on top and can be removed or reserved for cooking.

A Little Nutrition

The long cooking process converts collagen from connective tissue into gelatin, providing amino acids. Depending on the bones and concentration, homemade bone broth can also provide some protein, minerals and electrolytes.

The real beauty of bone broth is its usefulness: simple ingredients that might otherwise be discarded become something nourishing and extraordinarily versatile.

What to Use It For

Use your broth anywhere you would normally use stock — and sometimes where you might ordinarily use water.

Soups + stews
Use it as the base for chicken soup, vegetable soup, lentils and winter stews.

Risotto + grains
Cook risotto, farro, barley, rice or quinoa in broth for considerably more flavor.

Sauces + gravy
Deglaze a pan with broth or reduce it with wine, herbs and butter for a quick pan sauce. It’s also the perfect starting point for make-ahead gravy.

Braises
Use it with short ribs, pot roast, chicken thighs and slow-cooked vegetables.

Stuffing
Homemade broth adds another layer of flavor to Thanksgiving stuffing.

Beans + lentils
Replace some or all of the cooking water with broth.

Or simply drink it
Warm a cup with a little salt, pepper and fresh herbs.

Save As You Go

Keep two bags in the freezer: one for bones and another for broth-worthy vegetable trimmings.

Carrot ends, celery, onion pieces, leek tops, parsley stems and thyme stems are perfect.

But the stockpot isn’t a compost bin. Skip strongly flavored vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, excessive onion skins, or anything you wouldn’t want to taste in concentrated form.

Get in the habit of making this weekly - you'll find yourself reaching for it all the time.  Enjoy!