I am here to convince you to make your own broth! People always tell me they’re afraid to do it wrong, and it breaks my heart. I make it different every time and like ALL of them better than the way I was taught in culinary school. There is no ‘right’ way. This is the perfect way to start tapping into you kitchen intuition – you can’t mess this up.
Why is broth such a trendy thing, anyway?
Broth is a timeless tradition and was the main focus in the first restaurants in France. “Restaurant” actually comes from restorative which was how these meat broths were advertised. See? Not everything that is trendy is a fad, and this one is rooted in centuries of practice across the world. It is as healing to make as it is to eat – slow down and try it. You’ll appreciate the process of respecting and using the whole animal, and not wasting what can be used in order to buy broth and create more waste. It feels good, I promise.
Do I need to follow this recipe?
Nope! You absolutely don’t. Go off book. Get crazy. In terms of flavoring with seasoning and vegetables, the combinations are nearly endless and you should play in the kitchen to discover your favorite. Some ideas to help you get started: any vegetable scraps (save your scraps in the freezer using a rezip bag), dried mushrooms, lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, peppers, star anise, peppercorns, cloves, leeks, fennel, herbs such as thyme, oregano, parsley, and cilantro. Note: Wait to add the herbs until towards the end of cooking so they do not leave the broth with a bitter flavor.
What do I do with it once I make it?
You’ll use it to make quick soups, have a cuppa broth to soothe your soul, as a flavor bomb to sauté/steam vegetables without oil, to flavor braised meats, deglaze pans and heal whatever ails you.
What else is in this photo?
These are other elements that don’t take much effort but make a world of difference when adding them to weeknight cooking. Fresh herbs quickly transform from ordinary to extraordinary. Roasted garlic: Mindless to make, packs all the flavor. I much prefer to raw garlic. Caramelized onions: Zamnnn they’re delicious. Lemons? I always have some on hand – a squeeze of citrus is sometimes the missing element in a dish. All of these are flavorful addition to meal prep during the week. These are components of ‘Stephanie’s Staples.”
Sourcing Bones for Bone Broth
The best broth comes from the best ingredients. For the best flavor and most gelatinous results, try to make friends with a local farmer who raises animals on pasture (as opposed to concentrated animal feeding operations). Inquire about getting a regular supply of knuckle bones, marrow bones, necks, backs, and chicken feet, all of which make great broth. You can also accumulate bones from previously prepared bone-in dishes, whole chickens, etc. and store them in the freezer until you make a broth.
3+ pounds of chicken bones (raw, cooked or a combo- chicken feet, necks, and backs make for the best broth)
2 carrots
2 stalks Celery
1 onion
1 head of garlic
2 inches of fresh ginger sliced
1 inch of fresh turmeric, sliced
1 tbsp of vinegar (I use rice, red wine, apple cider interchangeably)
1 tbsp fish sauce (umami)
1 bay leaf
Instructions
ADD everything for your broth into the instant pot
FILL water to the 6 quart instant pot max line for either pressure or slow cooking
SET it on manual pressure setting, seal for approximately 2 hours or cook in your slow cooker setting 12-24 hours – depending on how much time I have, I’ll do either
STRAIN the broth from the bones and aromatics
STORE in silicone ice cube trays or silicone muffin molds for freezing (you can use these as “flavor bombs” in future recipes) and for immediate use pour a pint of broth into a mason jar for storage in the refrigerator
Slow Cooker or Crock Pot Directions
FOLLOW everything the same as above, but you can fill the water slightly higher than with the Instant Pot since you will not be cooking under pressure this time
SET the slow cooker for 10-12 hours, or as long as 24 hours
STRAIN and store as instructed above
Stove Top Directions
ADD water to a large stock pot containing the ingredients above. As with the slow cooker, you can fill the water slightly higher than with the Instant Pot since you will not be cooking under pressure
BRING the contents to a brief boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer (where bubbles break through the surface approximately every 3-5 seconds
