Printer Friendly RecipeBY MICHAEL PENDLEY AUTHOR OF TIMBER 2 TABLE WILD GAME RECIPESDECEMBER 27, 2017Bone broth is a hot commodity these days. Lots of folks swear by the health benefits they get from drinking it daily. I’ll admit to sipping on a cup or two of the kicked-up stock from time to time, but my favorite use for bone broth is in soups, stews and as a base for pho.

Skim any fat that rises to the surface of the broth.

I use a combination of venison bones, either from the smoked venison shoulder recipe, or bones leftover after butchering, and beef oxtails. The extra connective tissue from the oxtails lends the broth a meatier flavor and feel. Along with the bones, we add aromatic vegetables like celery, onions, carrots, leeks and garlic. Roasting the oxtails and vegetables for 40 minutes before adding to the stock pot deepens the flavor.

Add the roasted bones and vegetables to a stock pot along with the remaining ingredients.

Simmer away for at least 12, but up to 24 hours for the deepest flavor.

Ingredients

2-3 pounds venison bones
roasted or from the smoked venison shoulder recipe

3 pounds beef oxtail

2 medium unpeeled carrots
cut into 2-inch pieces

1 medium leek
end trimmed
sliced in half
lengthwise

2 medium onions
quartered

1 garlic head
halved crosswise

2 celery stalks
cut into 2-inch pieces

2-3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1.5 gallons water

Cooking Instructions

Place the oxtail, venison bones if not already roasted, celery, onion, leek, garlic and carrots on a sheet pan and roast for 40 minutes at 400 degrees. Add the water, roasted bones and vegetables, bay leaves, peppercorns and cider vinegar to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a hard simmer/very low boil. Cook for at least 12 hours, but up to 24. From time to time during the cooking process, skim any foam that rises to the surface and discard it.

Roast the bones and vegetables before adding them to the stock pot.

After cooking time, remove the bulk of the solid matter with a slotted spoon or wire spider. Filter the broth through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Allow the broth to cool, then refrigerate. Remove any fat that solidifies on the surface. You can keep bone broth in the refrigerator for a week or two, or freeze for up to a year.

Filter the broth through a cheesecloth lined strainer.