Better Broth

Asian Inspirations is against food waste. Billions of tonnes of food are wasted every year and it costs the Australian economy millions of dollars. But there are ways to reduce food waste, and one of them is to use your leftover meats, veggies and herbs to make delicious stocks and broths.

Broth, bone broth, stock, whichever name you choose to give it, is a mineral-rich pot of awesome made from boiling the bones of your animal of choice with vegetables and herbs. It is a traditional dish in western culture and Asian cuisine and comes in a heap of varieties, the most popular being ramen and pho.

Traditionally, bone broth has been commonly savoured as comfort food and health benefits in many cultures. In the West, the chicken soup comes to mind when you’re having a cold. For Asians, bone broth is a family remedy to maintain general wellness. Besides as a rich protein source, recent studies from the Center for Biomedical & Life Sciences at Missouri State University suggests that enriched chicken broth can help increase probiotics in your gut to promote overall digestive health and immunity to disease; while the combination of antioxidant and microbiome effects may even soothe migraine pains. International Dehydrated Foods, Inc. also found that bone broth contains high levels of collagen for healthy hair and joints, as well as a flavourful source of calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron which contributes to better metabolism; while the amino acid glycine may also help you relax and get more restful sleep. Read more about it here.

Look, it’s super convenient to just grab some packet stock from the shelf whenever you need to make soup, but nothing compares to the flavour sensation homemade broth has. And it’s really easy. Whenever you roast anything with bones (beef, chicken, fish, lamb, duck etc), save the carcass for your broth. If you’ve got some onions sitting around, or celery, carrot, any leafy vegetable really, thrown that in too. As far as herbs go, whichever flavours you love will work best for you, but always add garlic.

If you’ve had bone broth before and found it a bit too much, maybe gluggy and fatty and dark and cloudy, then chances are it wasn’t prepared properly. To help you make the most delicious bone broth, we’ve gathered some tips to help your bowl of broth better than brilliant!

Blanching

Unless you’re using pre-cooked meat or bones, in which case you can skip this step.

Boil the bones before you boil the bones! The best cuts of meat for bone broth (like knuckles, and marrow bones) are high in collagen and will have some yucky stuff still attached. Cook your bones on an aggressive simmer for 20 minutes and then drain them, not reserving the water. This will remove any impurities.

Adding too much stuff

I know I know, we just said it’s a great way to get rid of all your leftovers, but it’s better to make a couple of batches than one big hodgepodge of random stuff. Stick to the onion, garlic, pepper and maybe a herb or 2 and a vegetable.

Not using a big enough pot

This is vital! Cover your bones with water, but not so they’re floating. You want a concentrated broth after all. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.

Not cooking it long enough

You can never cook the bone broth long enough. Boil for 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, as long as there’s liquid in the pot you’re fine. The longer you cook the broth, the more concentrated and delicious the flavour.