Nothing like a homemade soup. You can be warm in a spoon, you can get embraced inside out. However, what should one do when the trick to making your soup good to mind-blowingly great does not lie in some fancy spice or some complicated trick? Suppose it was right at the butcher shop all this time? Enter the humble soup bone. These pieces of bone are frequently discarded or forgotten, but these are the secret pieces of flavor, nutrition, and body in your broths, stews and soups. In this guide, I will take you through all that you need to know about liquefying simple bones into liquid gold. Be prepared to find out what your future soups would appreciate you having this strong base to start with.
What Exactly Are Soup Bones?
We mean animal bones by soup bones–beef bones, chicken bones, pork bones, fish bones, whatever we use to make broth or stock. They are not one of the foods but cannot be, they may be raw bones that the butcher has just fetched in, or roasted bones that taste even better, or even the same bones that you roasted the chicken with last night. Such bones are full of connective tissue, collagen, marrow and minerals, all of which continue to leak into the water as they simmer. This is what turns ordinary water into a nutritious, tasting and aromatic liquid that makes the central point of any fine soup. Imagine them to be the building blocks, the base on which you will pile all your other ingredients. And without them, you are boiling vegetables and meat in water.
The Different Types of Bones for Broth
The bones do not all produce the same broth, and different kinds will give different results. It is sometimes useful to understand what ones can be used to achieve the desired taste and texture. Marrow bones are large and solid beef leg bones that have been cut into parts. They are also known to add rich buttery flavor and a beautiful silky texture to broth due to the marrow within. The knuckle bones and neck bones are wonderful in that they are full to bursting with collagen which becomes gelatin, and which makes your broth have that good, lip-sticking viscosity. In chicken, a combination of backs, necks and (yes) feet is the gold standard of a super gelatinous stock. The rule of thumb here is good structure with a combination of bony pieces and good body with a combination of collagen rich pieces.
Why Using Bones is a Game-Changer for Flavor
The primary factor why animal bones are suggested to be used as ingredients of a soup is that it provides such a fantastic flavor. When a home-cooked bone broth is used, as opposed to a store-bought broth or bouillon cubes, it becomes a multi-dimensional, rich tasting broth. You are cooking bones in a sort of kitchen magic when you cook them over hours. The heat will extract some minor flavours in the marrow, the bits roasted (supposing you pre-cooked them) and the minerals in the bone itself. This forms a foundation that is strong, meaty, and highly gratifying. It tastes real. This delicious broth not only flavors your soup, it is the focus of the action, and imparts and amplifies the flavor of all the vegetables, herbs, and meat you put in the pot.
The Amazing Health Perks of Bone Broth
In addition to taste, an impressive nutritional profile is also among the largest drivers of the bone broth resurgence. A long roasting of bones leaches the mineral elements out of the bones (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) into the water and is easier absorbed by your body. Collagen is the most popular constituent, though. As the broth cooks, this collagen degrades into gelatin and is said to help keep the joints, skin and hair healthy, and assist in digestion by healing the lining of the gut. It is also loaded with amino acids like glycine and proline that are related to sleep, immune system and so on. Drinking a cup of bone broth is therefore a way of supplying your body with a healthy multi-vitamin drink.
How to Pick the Perfect Bones at the Store
It is not hard to find good soup bones. The butcher counter of your nearest grocery store, or, better still, a meat shop, should be your first and best destination. Butchers keep bones on the side and will usually make them at a very cheap price. Don’t be afraid to ask! When choosing, find the bones of animals that were grass-fed/pasture-raised. These animals generally have healthy lifestyles and their bones will be thicker and rich in nutrients. The bones must be fresh and they should not stink or stale. You can get a combination of marrow bones and joint bones to make a rich, well-balanced, gelatinous broth. You must keep in mind that good ingredients in good broths.
The Simple Prep Work Before You Simmer
Cooking a broth takes a bit of prep work before you set it on the burner, but you will notice the difference in the end. Roasting is not a compromise step and therefore should be done first, particularly with red meat bones. Just place your beef soup bones on a baking sheet and put them in a 400degF (200degC) furnace and allow it to cook for 30-45 minutes. You would have them turn all deep and beautiful brown.
This browning process known as the Maillard reaction adds an enormous amount of rich, toasty and complex flavour to your broth. In the case of chicken bones, roasting is not mandatory yet would be advisable to enhance its color and taste. Once roasting is complete, you may also add several roughly chopped onions, carrots, and celery into the pan during the final 15 minutes to roast with the bones to further enhance the flavor.
Your Guide to Cooking and Simmering Times
The most significant ingredient to make broth using the soup bones is patience. This is not a rush job, and this is largely hands-off time. The rule is, generally: the larger the bone the longer the simmer. Even a basic chicken stock prepared with a carcass can be prepared within 4-6 hours. To make more gelatinous and richer chicken broth, go up to 12-24 hours.
Bone broth, which is made up of larger, more dense beef bones, requires at least 12 hours and can do very well simmering 24-48 hours to get all the good out of them. use cold water always–this assists in drawing the dirt out, and, when it comes to a boil, it must be a very slow simmer, by no means a rolling boil. Your broth will be foggy and muddy tasting in a boil. Not more than a few little bubbles should rise to the surface.
Straining and Storing Your Liquid Gold
The last few steps are not hard once your broth has simmered to perfection. Take the large bones and vegetables out with tongs carefully. Then, put on top of a large bowl a fine-mesh strainer or a colander with a cheesecloth lining and slowly pour the broth through it. This will get out all the fine bits and sediments and give you a good clear pretty broth. Allow the broth to cool to room temperature and then store it. Either you can remove the fat that has floated to the surface after it is cooled, or you can leave it on to add flavor. In your refrigerator, your completed broth can last about 5 days in air tight containers or up to 6 months in the freezer. Pro-tip: freeze in ice cube blocks in small portions or in muffin tins in measured portions!
Creative Ways to Use Your Homemade Broth
Your hand-made bone broth is more than soup base. It has a dense and deep flavor and is a superstar ingredient in thousands of dishes. Needless to say it prepares the best soups, stews and chilis ever. But don’t stop there! Replace water with it when cooking your rice, quinoa or lentils to get an instant flavor upgrade. It prepares unbelievable gravies and pan sauces. It can be used to braise meats and vegetables, and it adds moisture and flavor to them as they cook. This can even be drunk straight out of a mug as a warm, comfortable and healthy drink. Once you have a supply in your freezer you will find yourself grabbing it to add to most of your savoury meals.
Soup Bone Comparison Table
| Type of Bone | Best For | Flavor Profile | Key Benefit | Typical Simmer Time |
| Beef Marrow Bones | Rich, hearty broths for French onion soup or stews. | Deep, robust, and buttery. | Creates a very silky, luxurious texture and mouthfeel. | 12-24+ hours |
| Beef Knuckle/Joint Bones | Ultra-gelatinous, nutrient-dense broths for drinking. | Strong, meaty, and savory. | Extremely high in collagen, great for joint/gut health. | 18-48 hours |
| Whole Chicken Carcass | All-purpose, everyday chicken stock for any recipe. | Light, clean, and versatile. | Easy to get (leftover from a roast chicken!), economical. | 4-8 hours |
| Chicken Backs/Necks/Feet | Super thick, gelatin-rich broths for sipping or ramen. | Concentrated chicken flavor. | Highest collagen content, sets into a jelly when cold. | 12-18 hours |
| Pork Bones (Neck/Hocks) | Tonkotsu ramen broth, bean soups, and hearty stews. | Milky, slightly sweet, and porky. | Breaks down to create a creamy, white, opaque broth. | 12-18 hours |
Conclusion
The road to real, high flavour cooking usually begins with the simplest of ingredients. Long viewed as a scrap, soup bones are finally receiving the credit they merit as the source of food that is nourishing and delicious. Knowing what they are, how to select the good ones, and how to take the time to slowly simmer them, you open the door to a world of taste and health benefits that can never be found in any store-bought product. It is a very basic, old-fashioned tradition that links us to our kitchens and our food in a deeper, purposeful manner. Now when you make a pot of soup you can leave the carton alone and begin with bones. You will be glad you did–your taste buds–and your body will.
FAQ’s
1. Can I use bones from a chicken I just roasted for dinner?
Absolutely! One of the simplest and least expensive methods of broth making is to use the remains of a rotisserie or roast chicken. It is an amazing way to use food that would go to waste and make something tasty.
2. Do I really need to simmer the bones for so many hours?
In the case of a fast stock a few hours will suffice. However, a long slow simmer is necessary to get all the collagen, minerals, and deep flavor out of the bones, especially beef. That is what makes thin stock absorbent thick broth, and healthy.
3. Why is my broth jiggly like Jell-O when it’s cold?
Yes, that is right what you want! That jiggle indicates that you were able to get a ton of collagen out of the bones, which became gelatin. When warmed it will melt once again and add a wonderful, rich body to your soup.
4. Where is the easiest place to find soup bones?
Begin with the butcher of your local grocery store. They keep them in the freezer or at the back of the counter. Good quality bones can also be found in the markets of farmers and local butchers.
5. Is bone broth the same thing as stock?
The two are mostly used interchangeably, although there exists a point of difference. The stock is generally prepared with bones and cooked a shorter duration and bone broth is cooked a much longer duration, resulting in more collagen and nutrients being extracted. More meat can also be used to make broth.