My stock isn't gelatinous

[Plummeting]

I use pastured chickens, but not with the heads or feet. I know my chickens are high quality pasture-fed, because I've been to the farm. I do notice that stock from these chickens is a brown color, whereas stock from the organic chickens (that include the organs) at the grocery store is yellow, but that's the only difference I can see. I get the bones and meat for my beef stock from the same farm. That stock isn't gelatinous either. NT and everyone here talks about their stock being gelatinous, so what am I missing?

[twins10705]

I use just the bones and skin(no heads or feet either) and no vegetables or spices. I do add some ACV which is supposed to help disolve the bones thereby increasing mineral content of the broth. I simmer low for 12-24 hours and my stock is always a firm jelly after chilling.

[bigknitwit]

Mine is hit and miss. A few weeks ago I made a glorious stock that gelled fabulously, and I'd simmered with the heart and liver (I don't have feet or heads). I figured that was the secret! So I did it again this past week and have just about zero gel. But doesn't the amount of water in the pot also affect the gelling? More water = more dilute stock = less gelatin per unit volume.

[Plummeting]

Hmmm. I use ACV and I never simmer for less than 24 hours. For beef stock, I simmer about 3 days. I use 3 to 4 quarts of water. Is that too much water, maybe?

I'm really confounded, because I *know* these are high quality animals, kwim? I've seen the farm, the eggs they give me have orange yolks, as opposed to those yellow grocery store yolks, the beef has that *definite* pasture-fed taste (you know, where you cook it too high or too long and it starts to taste fishy ) the chicken stock is a different color than that made with grocery store chickens. I'm completely stumped.

[twins10705]

I lightly pack my crockpot full of bones and skin and any extra fat, then I add water to cover everything and a couple good splashes of ACV. I do this by saving the bones from every meat meal throughout the week -- I've got several little baggies of random bones and partial carcases stacked in my fridge In fact, the past few weeks I don't seperate the species -- any bones whether it be lamb, beef, chicken etc all go into the same pot - otherwise it would take me too long to save up enough bones and I think the flavor is great and compliments just about anything. I have never had a batch that was not really firm after chilling -- maybe you could try boiling yours down a bit...but even though it doesn't get firm, with the way you prepare it, you almost certainly have plenty of gelatin.

[yitlan]

Mine's hit and miss, too. Just keep experimenting!