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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
Hmm there’s no way for me to get 7lbs of bones in there along with a gallon of water
I use one stockpot that is 1 gallon and another that is 2 gallons. Sometimes I use my 3 gallon pot for a huge pot of beef stock.
I always have a crock pot of simmering “Perpetual Bone Broth” going – each batch usually lasts about 5 days. Each time I use some broth I add water to the crock to replace what I’ve taken out. Since it never cools, one doesn’t know if it gels or not. On the fifth day the broth is not as tasty as it is at the beginning of the batch, but the bones are so soft that I’m sure every bit of nutrition is given up to the water. What do you think of this method? I’d love to read your comments. Thanks.
Can anyone in the know advise whether halibut collar is a good alternative to fish heads for making fish stock? It is the neck of a fileted halibut that might still have the thyroid gland attached but I cannot tell because I do not know what fish’s thyroid gland looks like.
So I made my first stock using beef bones. It came out really, really jelled and a grayish color when it cooled. It was about as jelly as jello, do you think I boiled it too long and that might be why it jelled that way?
Mine still doesn’t wiggle or jiggle. It is more like Soupy Sales!
Hi,
I was under the impression that when you reheat a stock you have to bring it to a boil to kill off whatever. Is this true? Wouldn’t boiling destroy the gel? Or like you show in the video just warming it up is fine?
Oh, people, don’t throw away stock that hasn’t jelled! Wonderful health benefits are still there, from my understanding. I simmer my stock until the bones easily break, assuming that as much nutrition has leached out as can be had. The stock color varies a bit too from time to time, depending on what veggies, & herbs I have added to the simmering stock.
Exactly. We’re shooting for the ideal with thick gelled stock. Even if your stock doesn’t gelled you can use it fine – just know that there is room for improvement.
Hello! I don’t want to sound pedantic here, but it’s called broth if it’s made with bones, and stock if not–chicken broth and vegetable stock. Sally Fallon uses this distinction too, I believe.
Actually no … it’s broth if not made with bones and stock IF made with bones. You can also call it bone broth.
I just made chicken stock and I never knew it was supposed to gel like that. Mine is very much a liquid and I used a fresh chicken with a bunch of chicken feet. Is it still good and nourishing to use now or should I toss it?? Thanks for all your information Sarah!!
I definitely would NOT toss it!
Don’t toss it. It is fine even if not enough collagen in there to gel it. Try next time for a gelled end result to get maximum health benefits from it.