What Is Bone Broth, Really?

Bones! The head one is connected to the neck one, if I recall correctly, and the giant in “Jack and the Beanstalk” famously talked about grinding them to make his bread. But did you know that bones can also be used in cooking, specifically in the form of bone broth? What is bone broth? How do you make it? What does it taste like? Let’s get some answers and make no bones about it. 

What is bone broth?

Bone broth is exactly what it sounds like: broth made from animal bones, along with connective tissue and some meat. It’s a way to get the very last little bit of nutritive value from meat parts that are generally tossed. Besides which, bone broth is very low in calories and relatively high in nutrients but still provides a feeling of fullness when imbibed. 

Does bone broth have collagen?

Oh yes, bone broth, particularly beef bone broth and chicken bone broth, are chock full of collagen. Collagen is good for skin and joint health and drinking bone broth is a simple way to up your collagen intake. 

How do you make bone broth?

The Food Network has a simple step-by-step recipe for making your own bone broth at home. To start, they recommend collecting collagen-rich bones such as knuckle bone and chicken feet. Blanch these bones by simmering them in water for 20 minutes in order to remove any impurities. Then, rub the bones in tomato paste and roast them on a sheet pan for about 45 minutes. Throw the roasted bones in a pot with some water, bring it to a boil, and then simmer with aromatics such as onions and garlic. Keep simmering for up to 48 hours, strain, and then serve piping hot. 

What does bone broth taste like?

Bone broth can be compared to stock, so if you’ve ever sampled beef stock or chicken stock, you should have some idea. However, bone broth tends to be more seasoned and richer in umami and savory flavors because it is designed to be eaten on its own instead of as the base of something else. 

How to drink bone broth

One of the few things that bone broth and Reese’s have in common is that there’s really no wrong way to eat them. Just pour bone broth into a mug, heat it up in the microwave, and enjoy! If you’re slightly skeptical about gulping down a bone-based liquid plain, there are other ways to incorporate bone broth into your diet. 

How to use bone broth 

It’s perhaps not shocking to reveal that bone broth is frequently used to make soups and stews. Most soups and stews use broth of some sort as a base, and the simple savoriness of bone broth is a great place to start. In fact, you can use bone broth as an alternative anywhere you’d use chicken or beef stock, or even water—soup, stew, risotto, wherever stock can go, bone broth can go.