The Best Bone Broth:
A Chef’s Guide to Choosing (and Making) It
By Marco Canora
James Beard Award-winning chef, passionate
broth maker and founder of Brodo
Not all bone broth is created equal.
Walk through any grocery store and you’ll find shelves full of “bone broth” that tastes thin, overly salty, or strangely flat—because it was made with concentrates, powders, and industrial shortcuts.
Real bone broth is made slowly and intentionally. It takes quality bones, real vegetables, open-kettle simmering, and a lot of patience. You can’t cheat depth of flavor.
As a chef, I’ve spent more than 20 years making broth in restaurant kitchens. In 2014, I opened Brodo from a small East Village window in New York City with one goal: introduce people to real broth, made the right way.
This guide breaks down what separates great bone broth from mediocre broth, how to make it yourself, and what to look for if you’re buying it.
What is bone broth?
Bone broth is a slow-simmered broth made from animal bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and aromatics.
The extended simmer time extracts collagen, amino acids, minerals, and flavor from the bones, creating a broth with more richness, body, and protein than standard stock.
Nearly every culture has its own version, from Japan’s ramen base to the Middle East’s Shorba. Long before it landed in Western wellness aisles, bone broth was simply good cooking.
Bone Broth vs. Stock
Bone broth and stock start similarly, but they’re
built for different purposes.
Bone Broth
- Often sipped on its own
- Richer body and mouthfeel
- Simmered 12–24 hours
- Higher natural protein
- Intended for daily drinking
Stock
- Primarily used for cooking
- Lighter texture
- Simmered 2–6 hours
- Lower protein
- Intended as an ingredient
A great bone broth should taste complete enough to sip from a mug,
not just disappear into a recipe.
That’s where most packaged broths fall short.
What to look for in
the best bone broth
Real ingredients, not fake shortcuts
A surprising number of packaged broths rely on concentrates, powders, and vague “natural flavors” instead of real food. The best bone broth is made from ingredients you’d actually recognize:
- Real bones
- Real vegetables
- Herbs and aromatics
- Filtered water
- Time
At Brodo, every batch starts in open kettles with real ingredients sourced from farms—not labs.
Reasonable sodium
Many packaged broths use excessive sodium to compensate for weak flavor. A great broth develops depth naturally through simmering, extraction, and proper technique—not by overwhelming your palate with salt. As a general rule, look for broths under 400mg sodium per cup.
At least 10g protein per cup
Protein is one of the clearest indicators that a broth was properly made. It gets naturally extracted from the bones during the slow-cooking process. Many “bone broths” contain surprisingly little protein because they weren’t simmered long enough—or because they rely on concentrates instead of real bone extraction.
Transparent sourcing
If a broth brand is vague about where its bones come from, there’s usually a reason. Look for:
- Grass-fed beef
- Organic chicken
- Pasture-raised sourcing
- Named farms and suppliers
Great broth starts long before the apron goes on. At Brodo, sourcing is treated with the same seriousness you’d expect from a high-end restaurant kitchen. Where your food comes from matters.
Long, open-kettle simmering
To make bone broth that’s deep, rich, and flavorful, you have to let the clock run. The best bone broths are simmered low and slow for hours in open kettles, where flavors gradually develop and concentrate naturally.
That process is slower, more expensive, and more labor-intensive. It also tastes dramatically better.
How to make bone broth at home
If you have the luxury of time, nothing beats a pot
of homemade broth.
Chef Marco’s Classic Base Broth Recipe
Ingredients
- 4–5 lbs bones (beef, chicken, or mixed)
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- Fresh herbs (i.e. parsley, oregano)
- Black peppercorns
- Water (filtered if possible)
Equipment
- A stockpot. Make sure it’s taller than it is wide to allow for the best circulation. You could also use a large-capacity slow cooker.
- Several baking sheets or roasting pans for roasting the bones.
- A ladle for skimming off impurities.
- A spider skimmer for removing bones and vegetables from the broth without losing the liquid.
- A fine-mesh strainer for a clearer finish.
Method
- Roast the bones at 375°F for about one hour (flipping them after 30 minutes).
- Put the roasted bones and any bits of meat into your stock pot. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil.
- As soon as the broth starts to boil, drop the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming periodically to remove foam and impurities.
- Add the vegetables and simmer for another 12 to 16 hours, continuing to skim.
- Strain off the solids using the spider skimmer and fine-mesh strainer.
- Salt to taste.
- Transfer to containers and store in the refrigerator. Skim off the solidified fat after the broth cools.
Chef Marco’s Pro Tips
- The bones best suited for broth are brawny parts like turkey legs, chicken feet, oxtails, and beef knuckles.
- Use whole-cut, organic vegetables for better flavor and more well-rounded nutrition. Carrots, celery, and peeled onions are easy go-tos.
- Equipment doesn’t have to be fancy. You can get away with just the stockpot and improvising the rest.
- Salt at the end, not the beginning, to prevent oversalting. Sea salt is best for broth.
- Patience is the most important ingredient. Kick back with a good movie (or 7) and wait!
Where to find good bones
The best place to source bones is your local butcher or farmers’ market. You can also save leftover chicken bones and vegetable scraps in a freezer bag until you have enough for a batch. Note: if your bones come from well-raised animals, your broth will taste noticeably better.
Creating different flavor profiles
Once you’ve mastered a base broth, you can craft all kinds of
variations. Chef Marco has created 11 unique flavors (and
counting) for Brodo.
Italian Style
Add garlic, rosemary, tomato, parmesan rind
Indian-Spiced
Add turmeric, cumin, coriander
Thai-Inspired
Add lemongrass, ginger, lime, chili
Slow-Roasted Comfort
Add black pepper, shiitake mushroom, thyme
How to store your bone broth
Homemade broth lasts:
- 5–7 days in the refrigerator
- 3–6 months frozen
Brodo pouches are a shelf-stable alternative. They can stay in your pantry until opened, making it easy to keep real broth stocked without dedicating your entire freezer to broth storage.
Don’t want to spend 24 hours making broth?
Makes sense. Most people don’t have the time to tend to a stockpot running all day (and night). And that’s exactly why there’s Brodo. Brodo broth comes in ready-to-heat pouches, but it’s still made the proper way: real roasted bones, real organic vegetables, and open-kettle simmering for hours. No powders. No concentrates. No shortcuts. The result is broth with true depth of flavor, richness, and nutrition—and a chef’s touch.
Why people drink bone broth
Whether it’s part of a wellness routine or simply a healthier afternoon pick-me-up, people continue to sip bone broth for how it makes them feel.
A well-made bone broth contains protein, collagen-derived amino acids, gelatin, and minerals developed through long simmering. Emerging research suggests these nutrients may help support:
Gut barrier function
Skin and joints
Satiety
Immunity
Hydration
Removing liver toxins
Pregnancy & postpartum
But for many people, the appeal is simpler than that: it’s warm, savory, satisfying, and makes you feel good — without the crash that comes with another cup of coffee or a sugary snack.
Ways to Use Bone Broth
Sip it straight
Warm bone broth in a mug makes for a simple, satisfying daily ritual people build into their routine in all kinds of ways.
First thing
in the a.m
Swap for
third coffee
Pre- or post-
workout
Light p.m.
snack
Relaxing
before bed
Nightcap
replacement
Support
during a fast
When under
the weather
Frequently asked questions
Can you drink bone broth every day?
Absolutely. Many people drink it daily as part of their routine.
Why does some bone broth gel in the refrigerator?
That jiggly texture is actually a good sign.
When properly made bone broth cools, the gelatin extracted during simmering can cause it to gel. While not every great broth will fully gel, it’s often an indication that the broth was made from real bones and simmered long enough to extract collagen-rich compounds.
How much sodium should bone broth have?
There’s no perfect number, but many high-quality bone broths contain between 200–400mg of sodium per cup. Enough to enhance flavor, but not so much that salt becomes the dominant taste. If a broth tastes overwhelmingly salty, it may be compensating for a lack of depth or richness.
Is bone broth safe during pregnancy?
Many expecting moms enjoy bone broth as an easy, gentle source of whole-food nourishment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding dietary needs.
Will bone broth help with weight loss?
Drinking bone broth as part of a weight loss regimen is common, thanks to its high protein content for satiety and low calorie count. Consult your healthcare provider to develop your personal weight loss regimen.
Is bone broth good for fasting?
Many people use broth during fasting windows because it’s savory, satisfying, and protein-rich.
Can kids drink bone broth?
Yes. Bone broth can be an easy way to get a little extra protein and nourishment into a child’s day. Some kids love sipping it on its own, while others enjoy it mixed into soups, pasta, rice, and other family meals.
Try the bone broth that sets the standard
Brodo is the closest thing to homemade broth you can buy. Test out a Starter Box and taste the quality for yourself.