I'd say to keep it cooking longer. This is something very close to my heart ! I've been making broth my whole life, since before it got trendy and they started calling it bone broth. I use a variety of bones, whatever I have on hand: chicken, turkey, goose, beef, pork etc. I like to mix pork and beef since beef on it's own can taste bland. I get bones right from the farm, and I save all bones that come my way for future broth making. Roasting a chicken ? Save the carcass and throw it in the freezer for when you have time to make broth.

Place bones into a large pot and cover with cold fresh water. Bring to a boil, skimming the scum off as it appears. Keep it covered and let it boil slowly all day. If I start with meat such as a whole chicken for instance, I will cook it until the meat is tender, then remove the meat from the pot, take the meat off the bones, put the meat away for later, then put the bones back into the pot with an onion and some celery, top up with fresh water and continue to cook for several more hours. If using less tender cuts that require longer cooking ( like it sounds like you are using ), cook until the meat is falling off the bones, then reserve the meat when ready. You don't need the veggies, but I like the flavour they give to the broth. I used to throw a carrot in there, but don't anymore due to sugar content in carrots. I also put a swig of apple cider vinegar into the pot to help draw out the minerals in the bones. I never season it when it's cooking.

I prefer to make mine on top of the stove. I tried the slowcooker, but found that the flavour was lacking. I do my broth on the stove top for about 12 hours. If I use the slowcooker I would do it at least 24 hours, probably longer. You could cook it even on stove top for up to 72 hrs. You know it's done by tasting it. Longer cooking times will make richer tasting broth. Preroasted boned will also deepen the flavour.

I then strain it and pour the broth into containers. I do use mason jars and freeze lots of broth. You don't have to worry at all about keeping them airtight. And this is not like canning, it's way easier. They will be protected from freezer burn in the jar. Just put it in the jar and let it freeze and it will be ready for you anytime. Very important to remember to leave some airspace at the top since when it freezes, it will expand. Try filling the jars about 5/6 full in order to determine how much expansion you will have. Cool jars of broth in the fridge before freezing. I put little labels on the top stating the flavour and date, so I can keep track of what I have and use the older ones first.

I have probably 1/4 of one of my chest freezers full of various flavours of broth at any given time. I can just take them out when needed to drink, or to use as the bases for soups, stews, etc. I use my slow cooker a lot, but not for making broth. I use the broth I made to cook with my meat in my slow cooker.

I always make broth on the weekend when I am off and have a lot of time. I keep some in the fridge after making it, for us to use daily. That's when I season it. I use Herbamare mainly, because I love the flavour, or sea salt.

A good book to refer to when making broth is "Nourishing Traditions". I also reduce some of the broth into "Bouillion" cubes of my own stock, which I freeze in tart pans and place in a ziploc bag in the freezer for use anytime.

I drink broth on my fasting days, and we like it as egg drop soup in the am sometimes, and anytime at all ! I can also make a very quick soup after work by taking defrosted broth and adding meat and a few veggies and some cream and butter. I made a delicious cream of chicken and asparagus soup the other day in about 15 minutes.

I hope this helps you out. Good luck making your broth. If you have any more questions, just ask.

Yes, it is done when everything is separated, meat and cartilage comes away from bone, and the bones become beautiful white sculptural forms, with no flesh clinging to it anymore. And I forgot to mention about the gelatin. When your broth cools, it should gel, some batches will gel more than others, depending on what you use for your stock. I like to get pork and chicken feet from my farmers, in case I need to pop some in the pot to add to my bones.

If the meat seems "off" to you, just use it to flavour your broth, then throw all the remains away when you strain your stock after it's done. I boil my broth usually for at least 8-10 hours, so I don't feel bad at all about tossing the soggy veggies out with the old bones and bits of meat I don;t want to eat. Just think, you would have thrown this away anyway if you hadn't planned on making broth.

I love NomNom. I don't have all her kitchen gadgets though, but she has lots of great advice on her site.

I never skim broth. I figure whatever it is it has to be part of the meat/bone/cartilage so perfectly edible.

Y'all are making me eager to make some broth!

looks good! wow - big ol' batch! (:

Looks good! My broth turned out well, and I did eat the meat, it wasn't as bad as it first seemed. I was full past noon after a cupful this morning at 7:30, so it worked. Will make more! Here's how I logged it:

I make mine in the pressure cooker, then simmer it down & concentrate it. Toss a spoonful or 3 of the gel into a mug, add hot water & salt & sometimes fish sauce or coconut aminos, and I have a tasty broth drink.

I simmer it down to about 1/4-1/3 of what it was, and it gels stronger than Jello does.

You can store the jars in the freezer until you know what you want to do with it.

You can just drink it by the cupful, especially good when you are feeling under the weather.

You can use the broth as a base for soup recipes. There is so much flavour in the broth that the soup practically makes itself! In my house we love to cook cauliflower and onion in chicken broth ( just barely covered with broth in the pot), and either mash with a potato masher or use tan immersion blender or Vitamix adding heavy cream and sharp cheddar cheese and a bit of arrowroot, for a delicious cheesy cauliflower soup. Add more cheese and bacon on top if you want. The options are limitless with soup.

Use the broth as a base in your slow cooker with any meat and a few veggies if you want, and supper is ready.

Use the broth in stews and stirfrys for wonderful flavour, especially when broth is reduced.

I do just drink it on it's own. Our favorite is chicken bone broth though. I generally find that beef on it's own can be bland. I find I get a richer flavour with the beef broth the longer it cooks. It also depends on how many bones you use in relation to water. I like to do mine on top of the stove and get it really boiling. I like to do beef and pork together for better flavour. I tend to drink the chicken broth much more often on it's own compared to the beef.

For beef broth, I like to make a pot of beef soup. You could just use ground beef even. We like ground beef, onions, celery and cabbage and a bit of tomato with the beef broth, so a nice beefy soup. Sour cream on top is good.

I love soup !

I like to drink my chicken broth with sesame oil, salt, and a little curry powder added.