Why we leave onion and garlic out of our broth
I leave onion and garlic out before the bones even go into the pot. Their fructans dissolve in water, so fishing out a clove later makes little difference to what’s already in the broth.
Things worth knowing
Why I leave some ingredients out, what happens during a long simmer, and what I like to do with the broth once it’s ready.
Why these ingredients
Choosing broth with IBS or SIBO in mind
Living with IBS changed the way I read a stock label. I look at what went into the pot, how rich the broth is and how much I’m about to serve. That’s where I’d start if you’re choosing broth with IBS or SIBO in mind.
Plain broth in a keto or carnivore kitchen
A warm cup of broth or a spoonful stirred into steak juices starts with the same simple base. Here’s how I use it and which other Bò products I reach for when ingredients matter.
Why we make Bò without vinegar
I like a squeeze of lemon in a cup and a splash of wine in a pan sauce. The broth is where both begin, so I leave it savoury and decide on the acidity at the stove.
What happens in the pot
From the roasting tray to the cup
The first thing you smell is the marrow roasting. That’s where I start Bò broth, hours before it’s ready to pour. Here’s what happens between pulling the tray out of the oven and warming a cup.
Why broth sets in the fridge
Cold Bò broth can be firm enough to scoop. Watch a spoonful melt in a warm pan and you’ll see what gelatin does. The same broth that sets in the fridge can give a cup body or turn the juices in a pan into a sauce.
What a spoonful of chilled broth can tell you
Dip a spoon into a chilled broth and the surface may give way like soft jelly. That same gelatin gives warm broth its body. Here’s what to look for when you compare two broths.
What makes a broth concentrated?
The bones and water you start with tell only part of the story. What comes out of the pot depends on what the water takes up along the way, how much evaporates and how much broth you have after straining.
Pressure cooking and the long simmer
A pressure cooker gets hotter than an open pot, which changes more than the cooking time. I make Bò at a gentle simmer because I want the flavour of the roasted marrow to come through in a broth I’m happy to drink on its own.
Choosing a pot for a long-cooked broth
The first time a pot is too small, you notice it when you try to stir. For a long simmer I look for room above the waterline and a cooking surface suited to what will spend hours against it.
Histamine and the time between steps
The broth spends a day on the stove. The rest of the process moves quickly, from the moment the bones leave the oven to the cooling of each filled portion. Here’s why those transitions matter when we talk about histamine.
From the cup to the table
A broth that leaves room for your cooking
I want the same broth to work under a soft egg and in a pot of kharcho. It has the flavour of roasted beef, and I add the herbs and spices when I know what I’m making.
A warm cup of broth
Warm a full cup of broth and taste it as the chilled gel melts. If you prefer it lighter, replace some of the broth with hot water.
Pan sauce with Bò
While your steak rests, turn the browned juices in the pan into a sauce. Bò adds body as it reduces; a little marrow fat finishes it.
Food and people
Bone broth in other kitchens
Bone broth turns up in surprisingly different places. For some people it’s the first cup of the morning. For others it goes into the pot with lamb and vegetables. Here’s how five people talk about making it, drinking it and cooking with it.