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Since the article 5 Reasons Why Your Stock Won’t Gel was published a few weeks ago, I’ve received numerous questions about how gelled stock should look.
Getting your homemade bone broth, or stock as it is commonly known, to gel is extremely important as it is a clear indicator that you have produced a quality product that will impart all the many health benefits bone broth is known for including pain-free joints, smooth digestion, and beautiful, firm skin.
Should stock jiggle a little or a lot? Is gelled stock a thick liquid or more solidified?
Instead of trying to answer these questions with words, I thought it might be most effective to just show you some perfectly gelled stock I made recently after chilling in the refrigerator.
I hope this will give you a clear picture in your mind of how gelled stock should look.
If you find your stock consistently won’t gel, consider adding some high quality powdered gelatin to ensure that you are getting enough per serving when you use your stock to soak rice, make soups and sauces.
Perfectly Gelled Stock
More Information
Gelatin and Collagen Hydrolysate: What’s The Difference?
The Benefits of Gelatin and How to Get More in Your Stock
5 Reasons Your Stock Won’t Gel
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Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Thanks for posting this!
I’ve experimented with making stock from factory-farm chickens while I wait to purchase some pastured chickens from our farmer. The stock has gelled well from some, but not from others. However, the most noticeable contrast between your stock and mine is that yours appears to be more opaque. My gelled stock is light brown, but translucent. Interesting. I can’t wait to get our pastured chickens and make some nourishing stock!
I’ve read that boiling stock will cause it to be opaque or cloudy in appearance. It’s accidentally happened to me a few times, and I’ve found it to be true. Of course, as we know, a low simmer is best! I know Sarah is very careful in her stock prep, so I’m not sure if this is why the stock in the video is opaque or not. Perhaps the great gel, dense with nutrients, makes it look cloudy when chilled, but clear when heated? This probably doesn’t help answer your question… just thinking out loud here. 🙂
Yes, gelling will get it cloudy but it is clear once it is reheated on the stovetop. NEVER the microwave as this denatures the proline amino acid which is plentiful in broth rendering it toxic to the kidneys, liver and nervous system (per the Lancet).
The last batch of stock I made didn’t gel and it was cloudy even when it was heated. Is that still okay to use? Any clues as to what caused this?
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for all the wonderful and essential information on your site! I’ve been consuming it daily for several months. Actually made Hindu Lemonade last night based on your video.
I couldn’t get my stock to gel until I used beef knuckles with a good amount of meat and fat on them. Beef soup bones, chicken, fish, turkey, and rabbit produced a nice stock, but no gel.
I never thought to have stock for breakfast. I make a smoothie every morning, what do you think about a stock smoothie? It would make a good thickening agent.
LOVE IT! A stock smoothie! Can you send me your recipe???? i want to post it!
I just posted a recipe, banana bone broth smoothie, on my site, which also covers my experimentation with bone broth in smoothies the past two days. Feel free to post it far and wide 🙂
I’m super excited to have found a new superfood to add to my smoothies. Thanks for the idea.
In the last 6 months that I’ve been making stock, I only had one batch that gelled perfectly. It was made of a huge red snapper that is so hard to find here in Toronto. Even when I take 2-3 smaller fish instead, my stock won’t gel. Chicken never, beef never..
Please consult my post on the 5 most common reasons why your stock won’t gel. That should give you some excellent clues.
Question!
I was cleaning my fridge out yesterday. I placed the stock on the counter and forgot about it. The stock was coming from the fridge not heated up. I left my stock on the counter until the next night about 24 hrs. later. I am assuming that the stock is bad?? Or could I boil it and use it??
You can probably boil it and use. If it smells bad though, pitch it.
How big is your stock pot? I am working with a 5 quart crock pot and a hot plate that cannot sustain a simmer very well. :/
So if it doesn’t gel is it just a waste of time or are there still health benefits?
Yes, there are still benefits ,… lots of colloidal minerals even if the collagen is trashed. Keep at it and figure out why it might not be gelling. You want nice, gelled stock to get the maximum benefits.
My chicken stock rarely gels because I can’t find pastured chicken feet and I use too much water. But it doesn’t matter to me as it is still deeply nourishing and I can just add some Great Lakes gelatin to it.
Sarah!
I am so in love with what you are doing. Thank you for being a true leader of Dr. Price’s and Sally’s message!
Cynthia, that is just about the nicest compliment I’ve ever received! Thank you 🙂
It really should not affect it. I put some of my stock directly into the freezer after it cools on the counter if I’ve made a very large batch and won’t be using it all up at once and it hasn’t affected the gelling after it thawed later.
Jennifer, try boiling down that stock and then recooling to see if it gels. You may just have too much water in there.
Sarah, thanks for your quick reply. I’ll try boiling it down. I usually just eyeball the water, maybe I need to be more precise with it in the future!
I also made My first batch of chicken broth but i doesnt gel and the fat doesnt layer on top when its cooked down. I’m afraid its Been on to high temperature although i’ve kept it on 1-3 (out of 9 possible). I’m trying to boil it down now to see if perhaps i usel too much Water. Should the lid be on or off when trying to reduce liquid?
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for posting all of your great videos. I really learn a lot from them. Quick question – could putting your stock directly into the freezer impact it’s ability to gel? I’ve been making stock for a while, typically putting it in the refrigerator first and it gelled up wonderfully. This last batch I put in the freezer and when it defrosted…nothing! Maybe it’s just a bad batch. Just wanted to get your thoughts on this.