Bone broth is probably the most underrated recipe in modern cooking. We’ve forgotten it in favor of bouillon cubes and industrial stocks — and it’s a mistake we pay for in every dish. Making your own homemade broth is the foundation of everything else.
Ingredients :
- The bones (beef or chicken) — This is where it all happens. For beef, ask for marrow bones or feet — they yield a broth that truly gels. For chicken, keep your carcasses after a roast chicken or buy necks and backs from the butcher for almost nothing. Mixing both works very well and adds complexity.
- Apple cider vinegar — A tablespoon in the cold water at the start. It seems anecdotal, but it isn’t. The acidity helps extract minerals from the bones during simmering. You won’t taste it at all in the final broth — it completely disappears.
- Garlic and onion — No need to peel them if you’re going to strain the broth at the end. Cut the onion in half, place it cut-side down directly in the dry pot to char it a bit — it adds depth and a deeper amber hue to the broth.
- Bay leaf and thyme — Two or three bay leaves and a few sprigs of thyme, fresh if you have them. These are what give the broth that simmering kitchen smell you recognize from the hallway. Dried works too, but fresh is better.
