Meat broth

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pounds of meat bones (such as beef, chicken, or pork bones)
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 2 carrots, washed and roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, washed and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Water (enough to cover the ingredients)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the meat bones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast them in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. This step helps to develop richer flavor in the broth.
2. Once the bones are roasted, transfer them to a large stockpot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns to the pot.
3. Fill the pot with enough water to cover all the ingredients by a couple of inches. Be careful not to overfill the pot, as it might boil over during cooking.
4. Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil.
5. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low and let the broth simmer gently. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface with a spoon.
6. Allow the broth to simmer for at least 4-6 hours, or even longer for richer flavor. The longer you simmer, the more flavorful the broth will be.
7. After simmering, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly.
8. Once the broth has cooled down a bit, strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean container to remove all the solids. Press down on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
9. Let the broth cool completely before refrigerating or freezing it. Skim off any fat that solidifies on the surface before using or storing the broth.