Making a Hearty Broth

This is the beginning of a good vegetable soup, risotto or flavour for a casserole.  

I know it may seem like a lot of admin – but make this while you wash up after your roast dinner.  You don’t have to make soup now – simply pop it in the freezer for another day. 

Because we all know that if you don’t make the broth now – you’ll just stare at the left overs in your fridge and put it in the ‘not now’ basket.

What you will need:

Chicken Carcass (left over from a roast) or;
Left over bones from a roast mutton or lamb or;
Soup bones from the butcher;

Or simply just use the following ingredients for a meat free broth.

Onions
Garlic
Leeks
Carrots
Celery
Fresh herbs
Bay leaf

And any other wrinkly veggies in the fridge drawer or that are surplus from the garden.
Or perhaps any scraps of vegetables leftover from the roast (you know the amount that isn’t enough for lunch the next day) 

Water
Salt and pepper
Cider vinegar 

This can be made using any of these methods!

Stove Top
Simmer for 2 hours.

Slow Cooker
Cook on low over night

Instant Pot
Pressure Cook for 90 minutes on high for chicken and 120 minutes for lamb or beef

Now you have your tasty broth.
Strain your broth through a sieve and discard the bones and vegetables.
Pop your broth in to a freezer safe silicon bag or airtight container and freeze for when you want to make soup or risotto.

If you would like to make soup then follow this method for a warming vegetable soup.

Tips and Tricks

  • If you are tidying up the fridge veggie drawer – make sure to not use too many brassica stalks.  They add quite a strong flavour to your broth.
  • If you would like your soup to be meat-free then simply omit the cooked meat bones.
  • Use your discarded vegetables to feed your chickens, pigs or simply compost. 
  • Remember it’s suggested to not feed cooked bones to dogs and don’t place bones in your compost.
  • The cider vinegar is to help break down the proteins in the meat, giving your broth a richer flavour.
  • I have used food grade silicon bags to freeze my broth in. Simply google to fins a stockist and brand you like.
  • Freeze the broth for turning into a vegetable soup, risotto or use in a casserole.
  • Simply heat and drink for an instant health boost.

Making a Hearty Broth

This is the beginning of a good vegetable soup.  

  • Instant pot
  • Large Pot
  • Slow cooker

Vegetable Broth Ingredients

  • 3 litres water
  • 2 onions
  • 1 bulb of garlic
  • 1 leek
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 celery stalk ((optional))
  • 1 handful fresh herbs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • Other wrinkly veggies from the vegetable fridge drawer ((optional))
  • Left over roasted vegetables ((optional))

Bone Broth

  • 1 chicken carcass (or;)
  • 1 bones leftover from a roast meat (or;)
  • 1 soup bones ((brown meat first))
  1. Roughly chop all your vegetables.

  2. Place your meat bones and vegetables into your chosen pot and cover with the water (don’t forget the herbs).

Stove Top

  1. Simmer for 2-3 hours.

Slow Cooker

  1. Cook on low over night

Instant Pot

  1. Pressure Cook for 90 minutes on high for chicken and 120 minutes for lamb/mutton and beef.

    Allow the steam to release naturally 

  2. Now you have a tasty broth.

    Strain your broth through a sieve and discard the bones and vegetables.

2 Comments

    • Hi Hayley – to play it safe I would use a selection or one of the following; parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

Comments are closed.