7 Tips for Making Bone Broth Gel –
Bone broth provides important minerals and vitamins that we need to cope with stress in our daily lives.
It is an inexpensive way to get minerals and vitamins without taking supplements, which sometimes are not absorbed by the body when isolated from foods in supplements.
Broth also fights wrinkles, cellulite and is good for loose skin after weight loss. It also provides glucosamine and chondroitin, so ditch those expensive supplements that are probably just full of chalk and dust.
It helps ease protein digestion and heals the gut lining in the process.
It also stretches your protein so you don’t need to eat as much which will save you some money!
Broth is a superfood should be an most wanted addition to your real food menu!
Bone broth is good for you even if it does not gel, but many people are looking for that magic to happen.
7 Tips for Making Bone Broth Gel
Here are some tips that have helped my broth to gel:
Use My Recipe:
I have a great slow cooker recipe that is so easy to follow and is fail proof. If you haven’t tried it make this a priority! Click here
Cook it low and slow in a slow cooker:
I prefer the crock pot like this one. If just don’t think it is realistic to sit by the stove for a 8-24 hours without burning the house down. In my experience, with a ton of clients, if you do not have a crock pot you just won’t make broth. When the broth is heated slowly it will preserve the collagen making it more likely to gel. I usually cook my broth for 12-24 hours and I basically never stop. I just add more water and throw in a few bones from that nights dinner, lol.
Add more bones:
When in doubt add more bones. My crock pot is seriously almost full of bones to the lid (it looks pretty gross so I will spare you a pic). It makes the broth gel in no time the more bones you add the better!! I save the bones from absolutely everything I eat which is not too hard when you have a cow share and there are bones with every piece of meat. I just put them all in freezer bag and save them until I am ready to make broth, which isn’t long.
Find good grass fed meat and bones here:
Add apple cider vinegar:
Apple cider vinegar like this one will help break down the bones better meaning more minerals and collagen will get out of the bones and into the broth assisting with the gelling process.
Use chicken heads and feet:
It may sound gross but these cuts are the ones that make the most collagen to help your broth gel. Chicken necks and backs are also good. The best part is that these bones are very cheap and many farmers may even beg you to take them off their hands. Cow knuckle bones are also very good for creating more gelatin.
Use better quality animal bones:
If you are using factory farmed animal bones fed an unnatural diet of corn and soy they will be very deficient in nutrients and their bones will not be able to give you the vital nutrition your body needs. Oh yeah, and cafo animals will not provide enough collagen to help your broth gel up and be perrrrrty!
Find good bones here:
Let it chill:
This one is pretty obvious but people seem very mystified by stock so I will add it. I used to always use my broth right away in a soup such as my cauliflower soup or summer squash soup. I never waited around to see if it gelled or not so finally let it sit in the fridge overnight to see if it did gel, and guess what, it did!
Bonus Tip: last resort
Add a few tablespoons gelatin, such as 2-3 tbsp for a crock pot full. I don’t think this is necessary but it is a cheater way of getting your broth to gel, even though the more gelatin you get you can only win,lol. I love this brand because it is grass fed and easy to find on Amazon. It also lasts a long time especially if you get the two tube deal here.
I have not ever made it with a pressure cooker but you can try my freind Zenbelly’s here. I have heard rave reviews for her method!
Happy gelling, let me know how it goes!
Order gelatin here:
If you find yourself too busy to make bone broth at home you can now enjoy delicious bone broth delivered right to your door! Check it out HERE
Source: Monica Corrado, broth expert
Jam says
What do you used gelled broth for? Whenever I make bone broth, I just go ahead and make a soup.
Caitlin Weeks says
yeah, i usually make soup too, people just like that their broth gelled.
Glenys says
Hi Caitlin, How long can you keep the bone broth in the fridge before it goes off?
Caitlin Weeks says
About a week in the fridge. You can keep it in the freezer for way longer though. Thanks for reading!
Clare says
I have a huge stock pot and fill it with all the saved makings…. use ACV plus whatever herbs (bay leaves) etc… water and usually throw in saved egg shells as well…… FOUR DAYS simmering fills my house with the most wonderful aroma and makes delicious (when strained) gelatinous stock which I ‘decant’ into suitable containers for the freezer. No need for added commercial gelatine if simmered long enough. My slow cooker would only make sufficient stock for one large pan of soup….. so the stock pot it is 🙂
Clare says
when making chicken broth/stock I always used the carcass (2 or three) and wing tips (which are very inexpensive and readily available in the market) plus any saved chicken bones from other meals previously eaten. Throw in saved egg shells for additional calcium, and don’t forget the ACV which helps to draw out all the calcium and other minerals from the bones. Toss in all your saved left over veggie peelings and simmer for a minimum of two – three hours. Chicken bones do not take as long as beef/lamb/pork etc. to make a delicious stock.
Valerie says
Hi Caitlin,
Thanks for the recipe! I made it once with a local farmer beef bones, it turned to gel after I put it in the fridge. I thought it was a bad thing since it has jello consistency. Now you solve my ignorance and mysterious mind. Much thanks!!
Nancee says
What is ACV?
Caitlin Weeks says
apple cider vinegar, I linked to it in the post.