Bone broth

Bone broth is one of my kitchen staples: a slow-simmered stock for soups, cooking grains or sipping from a mug on chilly mornings. Long, gentle cooking draws gelatin (the cooked form of collagen) out of the bones, which gives homemade broth its rich body.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 pounds chicken or beef bones (a leftover roast chicken frame works well)
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• About 12 cups cold water
• Sea salt to taste

Preparation:

• Put the bones, vegetables, garlic, vinegar and bay leaf in a large pot or slow cooker, cover with the water and let sit 30 minutes.
• Bring to a boil, then lower to a bare simmer (or set the slow cooker to low). Skim off any foam during the first hour.
• Simmer 12 to 24 hours, adding water as needed to keep the bones covered.
• Strain, season with salt and cool quickly. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 6 months.
• Chilled broth that jiggles is full of gelatin. Lift off the fat on top if you like.