Bone Broth

I've promised a simple guide on making a tasty, healthy bone broth, so here it is!

The most important thing to remember here is, as always when using animal products, to buy the best quality you can find. Look for local, grass-fed, organic options. If you're in Sweden, I highly recommend buying from the company Gröna Gårdar. I use lamb bones, but that's up to personal preference. I've heard that lamb bones contain more gelatin than beef bones, which is beneficial.

Now, onto the recipe! The beauty of broth is that there's no strict recipe; you can add and adjust ingredients to your liking. However, my process typically looks like this:

Prepare the bones: Place the bones on two large oven trays and roast at about 230°C (450°F) for about 20-30 minutes (I think...I never time it, just keep track of them!), or until they start to brown. Roasting isn’t mandatory, but it enhances the flavor, so I always include this step.

Prep the vegetables: While the bones are roasting, chop up the vegetables into large chunks. I typically use carrots, onions (yellow or leeks, depending on what I have), and celery.

Cook the veggies: Place the veggies in a large pot—I use a 10-liter pot from Ikea, which is ideal for making a big batch. Add some fat (I use butter or tallow if I have it) and cook the veggies for a bit. Add about 4-5 bay leaves and a bunch of whole white peppercorns.

Combine everything: Add the roasted bones to the pot. I use about 3.5 kg of bones, which really fills the pot! Cover with water and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. I keep it at around 2-3 on a scale of 1-9. In the beginning, you might see some foam on the surface; use a spoon to skim off as much as you can. This isn’t essential, but it can improve the taste.

Let it simmer: Leave the broth simmering for as long as possible, ideally at least 6-8 hours. I usually start around 9 a.m. and let it go until 9 p.m. so I get a good 12 hours, though a few hours less is fine too. Some people recommend simmering for up to 36 hours! Just be sure to plan for someone to be home all day, as it requires supervision (it requires 0 interaction though).
About salt. I actually do not salt my broth at all. I prefer to salt it when I'm about to drink it, and it also gives more freedom when using it in cooking I think. But this is really up to you! Just be a bit careful to not overly salt early on as the flavours will concentrate as it boils.

After about 12 hours. You can see the meat falling off the bones on the slightest touch.

Strain and store: After simmering, remove as much of the bones and veggies as you can, then strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into large, heatproof containers. If I plan to use it within a week, I keep it in the containers and have it in the refrigerator; otherwise, I pour it into glass bottles for the freezer. Let it cool completely before freezing—I often leave it in the fridge overnight first.

This is how much I got out from this batch.

Here you can see the consistency of the broth. It should wiggle!

Congratulations, you've made a delicious, healthy bone broth! It’s great for adding flavour to recipes—just use it wherever you'd use water for a nutritious boost, without relying on processed store-bought options.

I've heard of people reusing the same batch of bones, adding fresh water, and repeating the entire process because the bones still contain nutrients. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough fridge or freezer space to do that, but if I did, I’d definitely give it a try!

As the broth cools, the fat will solidify on top. I usually scrape it off before freezing or using.

I love having a hot bowl of broth for breakfast, and it’s also a great addition to a light lunch or dinner. Enjoy!