did my broth turn out?

[Therese's Mommy]

I just made my first bone broth. I took bones, and leftover scraps from about 2 chickens. I covered the stuff with water by several inches put in a glug of apple cider vinegar and let it sit for about an hour. Then I brought it to a boil, skimmed off the little bit of stuff that rose to the top and simmered it on the stovetop with the top on. At bedtime I threw the contents in the crock pot and cooked it on low. I simmered it for over 24 hours in all. I strained it and put it in the fridge last night.

This morning I checked it and it doesn't seem like the fat has risen to the top and it hasn't gelled either. Aren't these 2 things supposed to happen? When I make my chicken in the crock pot and save the broth from that it always has a good deal of fat rise to the top and it completely gels when I put it in the fridge. So, did I do something wrong? Or is this a sign that my chickens aren't as good as I thought they were? BTW, I buy my chickens from a local farmer. They are pastured (put on fresh pasture everyday) and also given some grain to supplement their pasture diet (all non-GMO stuff, some grown by the farmer), no antibiotics, etc.

Thanks!

Beth

[Ruthla]

Your broth sounds fine.

Broth only gels when it's been cooked for a certain amount of time. Before that, there isn't enough of the gelatin out of the bones and into the broth. After that, the cooking breaks down the gelatin into component parts that are even easier for your body to assimilate, but it loses that gelling quality.

Since you used leftover cooked chickens, my guess is that most of the fat was consumed before you used it for broth, which is why there isnt' much fat floating at the top of the broth.