Bone broth is a product of humble beginnings. With over 12,000 years of history, bone broth has found its place in the world (with different names, of course). The French call it bouillon, the Portuguese caldo, the Italians brodo di carne, the Koreans seolleongtang, the Japanese call it tonkotsu, the Chinese have the bak kut teh, in India haddi ka shorba... the list goes on.
That being said, here's a classic recipe to making bone broth at home. What's more? It's healthy!
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 36 hours
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
- 1 kg grass-fed beef bones
- 2 medium-sized white onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 5 sprig coriander (cilantro)
- 5 sprig spring onions
- 2 sprig thyme
- 10-15 garlic cloves
- 1 ginger
- 1 tbsp rock salt
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
Method:
Step 1: The first step is to roast your beef bones in an oven at 200C till they turn lightly golden brown in colour. Roast it for at least 30 to 45 minutes, before taking it out of the oven.
Step 2: As the beef bones get roasted, it is time to chop the onions, carrots and peel the garlic. Keep it aside on a separate tray, for this will also need to be placed into an oven to roast.
Step 3: Once the beef bones are thoroughly roasted, it is time to baste it with tomato purée to increase the flavour of the broth. Place the marinated beef bones once again in the oven and roast it at 200C for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until they turn evenly brown.
Step 4: Once roasted, remove the beef bones and the vegetables and add it into a thick-bottomed pour. Pour hot water in to the pot till the meat and the vegetables are submerged.
Step 5: Next add the fresh thyme into the pot. For the spices, add the bay leaves, black peppercorns and rock salt into the pot as well.
Step 6: Set your broth on a high flame and steadily stir the mix till it comes to a light simmer. You can also use a ladle to skim off any impurities or scum that rises up to the surface of the pot. Once done, slow cook the broth on a low flame for 6 to 8 hours for the flavours to permeate.
Note: You can also slow cook the broth for longer hours.
Step 7: Once slow-cooked, strain out the vegetables and beef bones. Once again, strain out the fat and impurities, which surface. Strain the broth into another thick-bottomed pot using a sieve.
Step 8: To season the broth, slice the ginger, chop the coriander (cilantro) and cut the spring onions and keep it aside.
Step 9: Add the freshly chopped seasoning into the hot broth and adjust the salt and seasoning as per your liking. Once done, strain the seasoning out.
Note: Make sure you don't cook the seasoning because you have to maintain that raw and natural taste.
Step 10: Bone broth is now ready to serve and enjoy!
