As soon as it gets cold outside, a big pot goes back on the stove in many kitchens. Bone broth is one of the oldest preparations there is: long before bouillon cubes existed, people simmered bones, connective tissue and vegetables for many hours to draw out a rich broth. In this article we look at what sets bone broth apart from an ordinary bouillon, how the finished broth becomes a powder – and how to use both in the kitchen.
What sets bone broth apart from bouillon and stock
The terms are easily mixed up. A classic bouillon is cooked mainly from meat and vegetables, usually for one to two hours. A stock (fond) is the concentrated base for sauces. Bone broth, on the other hand, relies on bones, cartilage and connective tissue – and on time: the bones typically simmer for twelve to twenty-four hours, often with a splash of vinegar, which helps release minerals and collagen from the bone into the liquid. You can see the result in the fridge: a well-made bone broth gels, because the dissolved collagen turns into gelatine as it cools.
Origin and production: from pasture to powder
The organic bone broth collagen powder by Nordic Kings starts exactly like that: as slowly simmered bone broth from Swedish pasture-raised cattle, produced to organic and KRAV standards. KRAV is the Swedish organic label – you can read what it means in our article about certifications. The finished broth is then gently freeze-dried: under vacuum and at low temperatures, the water is removed, leaving a powder – with no additives, fillers, gluten, lactose or soy. Per 100 g it contains around 95 g of protein, of which about 84 g is collagen, with the amino acid profile typical of bone broth: glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. What exactly collagen is and which types and sources exist is explained in our collagen article.
How to use bone broth in the kitchen
The biggest advantage of the powder is time: instead of letting a pot simmer for half a day, you stir 2 tablespoons (approx. 12 g) into about 200 ml of hot water – and your sipping broth is ready. Beyond that, the powder works anywhere you would otherwise use bouillon: as a base for soups and stews, for deglazing, for sauces and jus, as cooking liquid for rice, risotto or lentils, or to round off mashed potatoes. Season and salt to your own taste. And if you are curious about the fatty side of the beef bone, our article about bone marrow covers the counterpart to the broth.
What to look for when buying
It pays to look at the product name and the ingredient list. A pure product lists exactly one ingredient: 100% freeze-dried organic beef bone broth. Some products, however, are stretched with fillers, yeast extract or flavourings – or they are not dried broth at all but collagen hydrolysate, which is produced industrially from hides and bones. Both have their place, but they are not the same: hydrolysate is neutral in taste, while dried bone broth brings the flavour and the full spectrum of the broth. The origin of the bones should also be declared – with pasture-raised cattle and organic certification you know where they come from.
Safety note: storing broth correctly
Bone broth is a food and spoils like any fresh broth. If you cook your own: cool the broth quickly after cooking, keep it covered in the fridge and use it within two to three days – bring it back to the boil before using. Larger quantities are best frozen in portions. The freeze-dried powder is shelf-stable thanks to the removal of water; store it in a cool, dry place away from light, and treat reconstituted broth like fresh broth.
You can find the bone broth collagen powder individually or as a three-pack in our Bone Broth category.
