Bone broth experts - how much salt?

redimock

I am about to experiment with making bone broth in my slow cooker for the first time. I can't find the approximate amount of salt to add anywhere.

I'm starting small - a 1 lb beef femur bone. Anyone have a ballpark salt to liquid ratio?

Thanks so much!

mandycat223

I make my bone broth in the slow cooker with no salt and then salt to taste afterwards. How salty your broth will be when it's finished cooking depends on what sort of bones you're using. With beef bones, the broth won't be salty at all. When I use the carcass of a Sam's Club rotisserie chicken, it comes out of the slow cooker not needing so much as another grain.

I posted this elsewhere recently but it doesn't hurt to add it again. Apparently you get the maximum amount of mineral extraction during cooking if you add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar before cooking. A tablespoon won't materially affect the taste.

I set my slow cooker for 12 hours on low and put the whole shebang out in the garage so the house doesn't smell like a Campbell's Soup factory.

Panda_Poptarts

Approximately a lot

But really, no salt while cooking, then salt to taste. I find that the salinity increases with cooling, so I imagine it would be easy to over salt.

redimock

Thanks for the advice! Here goes nothing!! (And I think I read the slow cooker in the garage thing in another thread - it's already part of the plan )

DittoDan

I throw in a 1-3 tablespoons. As I drink, if it needs more, I add it.

Don't forget to add vinegar (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Dan

wheatlessgirl66

LIke the others, I add Himalayan pink salt when I'm using the broth. It takes a surprising amount!

Just an fyi---I have a 5 qt slow cooker, and I use 3-4 lbs of bones with 10-12 cups of water to cover the bones. Just add enough water to cover your bone, otherwise your broth may be too weak.

redimock

I have a small slow cooker - 4 qts I think - and this bone would not lay down in it, so I had to fill it up to cover the bone. I'm a little worried about that. Next time I may ask the butcher to cut the bone in half. Hmmm, maybe I can, but I doubt it...

redimock

And yeah, I will not be cutting that in half

DittoDan

On the water, you need a Goldilocks amount. Too little and it won't cover the bone. Too much and it dilutes the collagen. Ideally, if you take out the fat as I outlined above, the liquid below the fat should look like jello, congealed. If its not, you had too much water.

Then, whatever you put it in ~ if it boils the water, you have to allow for that too. You would need to add an inch or so above the highest bone, and then as is reduces, it still will cover the bone. OR, you set it in an oven, at 205 degrees F (just below boiling) and not worry about the water evaporating so fast. I do it both ways ~ depends on how big my pot is and how much meat/bones I have in it.

Cooking Time in Hours:

4-6 hrs chicken, turkey, fish
6-8 hrs medium sized bones (pork, beef, marrow)
8-24 hrs large beef & pork bones

(the above times are from memory, and sometimes my memory is not that good (LOL!))

I hope this helps,

Dan

redimock

Thanks for all of the tips! If this bone is a disaster, I have a chicken carcass in the freezer and some chicken wings I'm making for lunch tomorrow ready to be attempt #2

Cheesy567

I like adding in a bay leaf or two, and peppercorns (I'll put in a bag of about 2-3 T peppercorns) for some spice. For chicken broth I'll add in some sage, thyme, rosemary too.