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One of the main reasons to learn how to make bone broth as a base for homemade soups and sauces is to supply hydrophilic colloids to the diet. This opens up the door to obtaining the numerous benefits of gelatin to health.
The hydrophilic nature of the gelatin in homemade meat broths has the unusual property of attracting digestive juices to itself. This is in the same manner as raw foods.
There is an extensive amount of research on gelatin benefits in the diet. Gelatin obviously aids digestion by rendering digestive juices more effective by attracting them to itself. It also has been found successful in treating digestive disorders such as IBS, colitis, and even Crohn’s disease.
Anemia and other blood disorders respond in healing fashion to gelatin in the diet. Interestingly, the first known reference to gelatin is from 204 AD. Chinese writings of that time describe gelatin as an agent to arrest bleeding or hemorrhage.
Benefits of Gelatin as a Home Remedy
Homemade stock is indispensable when a stomach flu makes its way around a household. It can slow and stop diarrhea when small amounts are consumed every few minutes.
In addition to stopping the runs, gelatin assists in neutralizing whatever intestinal poison is causing the problem. Unlike anti-diarrhea medicine from the pharmacy which only masks symptoms, gelatin goes to the root of the problem and facilitates healing.
Households where gelatinous broths, soups, and sauces are frequently consumed often get passed by when a stomach bug is making the rounds. Time spent in the kitchen preparing this age old remedy will be repaid many times over with fewer sleepless nights from ill children. No doubt fewer visits to the doctor and ER too.
How to Enjoy More Gelatin Benefits
A frequent question from folks new to Traditional Cooking who are enthusiastically seeking the benefits of gelatin to health, is “how do I get my stock to gel?” What does this mean? A successful batch of homemade bone broth turns into a jelly like substance in the refrigerator. This is due to the gelatin solidifying into a semi-solid state as it cools.
The #1 most common reason for stock that does not gel in the refrigerator is too much water was used to make the stock.
The amount of filtered water should just cover the bones. As the water boils off, feel free to add more water as the stock simmers for the required 4- 24 hours (or up to 72 hours if making beef stock), but only ever add enough additional water to cover the bones.
Stock can always be boiled down on the stove if too much water was inadvertently used. You can even boil it way down to a very concentrated, syrupy, reduction sauce, known as fumee, and then reconstitute with water when you are ready to use it.
Get More Gelatin in Your Stock
Is your stock is already gelling nicely but you want even more gelatin in the final product? Then be sure to ask your local poultry farmer for the heads and feet from your pastured chickens. They add loads of nutritious and healing gelatin to stock.
Another tip is to scald the feet in boiling water to remove the skin before placing them in the stockpot. This will allow even more gelatin to get into your stock.
One final tip is to always start with cold water. Let the bones sit in the water with the bit of vinegar for 30 minutes to an hour before turning on the heat. This allows the fibers of bones and cartilage to open slowly. When this occurs, the maximum amount of flavorful juices and gelatin are released.
Gelatin FAQ
The Reason You Need More Gelatin in Your Diet
Gelatin and Collagen Hydrolysate: What’s the Difference?
Hydrolyzed Collagen Benefits
5 Reasons Your Stock Won’t Gel
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: Gelatin in Nutrition and Medicine, Gotthoffer
Hi Sarah
Just found your blog – and now I am very inspired to make my own bone broth!
I only have experience using powdered Gelatin added to food, and found it very soothing for my digestion.
Can you pls advise if I can turn the broth off for the night, and resume cooking it in the morning? Will be cooking it on the gas stove and my husband will not let me keep on for the night… I bough $16 worth of bones and really want to make it work!
Thnx for all the information you provide 🙂
I read that if you bring the stock to a high boil, turn off the flame and put a lid on the pot that everything should be fine in the morning. I, myself, have never done this, but just this morning read it on another gelatin page (I wish I could remember where – Deborah something. Maybe).
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I have a severe mold allergy and cannot use ACV or anything fermented. Can I substitute lemon juice instead?
Hi Sarah,
Will my chicken stock work from using just parts? I get chicken from a farm that is cut up into parts and does not include the carcass. I am baking the chicken for dinner and of course I don’t want to waste it. I also don’t have any feet on hand to create more gelatin. Thank you.
Hi Sarah,
My hubby reacts to anything vinegary or yeast-based, also fermented sauces. What could I subsitute for vinegar?
Will lemon juice and rinds work?
Thank you!
Hi Sarah,
I know you’ve already answered the question on pressure cookers, but I’m wondering if I could use one for part of the process to reduce boiling time. I’m currently living overseas where we cannot rely on electricity (no slow cooker) therefore only rely on a gas stove and I’m concerned about leaving the stove on for 24h+ especially if I cannot be home for those 24h. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
Sarah has mentioned that the time is cumulative, not sequential. So, cook your broth for as long as you can, turn it off, leave it on the stove, and go do what you need to do. Come back, turn the stove back on and cook some more. Repeat as often as necessary until you get to your time … 24 hours or whatever.
If I only cook my chicken or beef stock 9-11 hours I can get a lot of gelatin. If I let it cook longer than that it tastes really good, more condensed and flavorful, bur there is no visible gelatin. This could not be from too much water as if I cook it less there is gelatin. I’m very confused from information on this subject. I have read that if you cook it too long you will break down the gelatin and it will not be as healthy because of this. I have read that it is better to cook it longer because you will draw more gelatin out of the bones, even though the longer cooking time breaks down the gelatin. I have also been told that if you cook it longer it doesn’t matter if the gelatin breaks down because all the constituent parts of the gelatin will be there so it will be just as good as if it forms visible gelatin. HELP!! I don’t know what to think.
Gayle
This may seem like a funny question, but I just finished making a crockpot full of chicken stock and was going to make another. Can I reuse the necks and feet from the first pot along with the second pot to which I will add new necks and feet? I know with Kvass you can top off a second time……just wondering?? Difficult to toss it all.
Nancy