A freezing Sunday in January. It’s the perfect time to start a broth that will simmer all by itself while you do something else — read, rest, or take the kids out. The house will smell wonderful, and by evening you’ll have a homemade kitchen staple that warms the soul.
Ingredients :
- The bones — This is the main ingredient, and the choice matters. Ask your butcher for beef shank or knuckle bones — these provide the most collagen. For chicken, save carcasses after a roast or buy them directly. The more joints and cartilage, the more the broth will gel. Marrow bones, chicken feet: they all work very well.
- Apple cider vinegar — Two tablespoons might seem strange in a broth. But vinegar helps extract minerals from the bones during the long cooking time — and no, you won’t taste it in the final result. Any store-brand apple cider vinegar will do; no need for a special brand.
- The vegetables — Carrot, onion, celery — the classic trinity. No need to peel anything, just cut into large chunks. It’s also a great way to use carrot tops, onion skins, or celery leaves that you usually throw away.
- The herbs — Bay leaf and peppercorns are the base. If you have thyme or garlic lying around, add them. As for salt, wait until the end — the broth reduces slightly during cooking and can become too salty if seasoned too early.
