Beef bone broth is a nutritious and healing food that has become quite popular in recent years. However, many people find that their homemade beef bone broth turns out unappetizingly oily.
If you’ve made beef bone broth but were disappointed with the excess oil, don’t throw it out just yet! In this article, I’ll explain the common causes of oily bone broth and give you tips to fix it.
What Causes Oily Beef Bone Broth?
There are a few key reasons why your beef bone broth may turn out overly greasy:
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Using marrow bones or other fatty beef bones. Marrow bones and knucklebones are prized for bone broth because of their high collagen content. However, they also contain bone marrow and soft tissues that render a lot of fat into the broth. Other fatty beef bones like short ribs can also contribute excess oil.
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Not skimming the fat. As the broth simmers, fat from the bones and marrow melts into the liquid. If you don’t periodically skim off this fat, it will accumulate on the surface and emulsify into the broth.
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Overboiling. Vigorous boiling breaks down bones and releases fat, leading to a greasy broth. Gentle simmering is better
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Cooking too long Extended cooking times continue melting fat into the broth For beef, marrow bones should simmer no longer than 3 hours.
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Using fatty scraps or too much meat. Leaving fatty trimmings or too much meaty residue on the bones adds extra grease.
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Adding oils. Many recipes call for olive or avocado oil, but these just contribute more grease. Broth needs no added oils.
How to De-Grease Oily Bone Broth
If your beef bone broth turned out unpleasantly oily, don’t pour it out. You can still rescue it and remove that excess grease. Here are some tips:
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Chill the broth. Put the broth in the fridge overnight. The fat will rise and solidify on top. You can then easily skim it off.
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Use a fat separator. These special pitchers allow you to pour off the clear broth below, leaving the fat behind.
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Blot with paper towels. Lay paper towels on the broth surface and let them absorb the grease. Replace as needed.
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Use a gravy separator. This technique involves adding ice cubes to the broth. As they melt, the fat adheres to the cold cubes so you can easily remove it.
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Strain the broth. Pouring the broth through a fine mesh sieve helps catch the last bits of fat. Cheesecloth also works for this.
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Refrigerate and remove hardened fat. If chilled fat still remains in the broth, you can scrape or lift it off the surface before reheating the broth.
Tips to Prevent Oily Beef Bone Broth
Now that you know how to de-grease broth, here are some tips to avoid excess oil in your next batch:
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Choose leaner beef bones. Opt for non-marrow bones like knuckles, necks, oxtails or joints. Or use a mix that’s only half marrow bones.
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Trim fat and tissue. Cut off any visible fat, membranes or soft tissue on the bones before cooking.
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Simmer, don’t boil. Let the broth gently simmer. Boiling churns up fat from the bones.
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Skim regularly. Every 30-60 minutes, use a ladle to skim the surface and remove fat.
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Limit cooking time. For beef bones, never cook longer than 3 hours to avoid extracting too much marrow fat.
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Use a smaller pot. Less surface area means less opportunity for fat to accumulate.
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Add vinegar. Acids like apple cider vinegar help leach nutrients from the bones, so you can use fewer bones and get a leaner broth.
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Avoid added oils. Don’t include olive, sesame, or other oils that will just make the broth greasier.
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Let it cool before storing. Hot broth will mix with the fat instead of separating.
Tips for Using Oily Beef Bone Broth
Ideally you’ll be able to remove excess fat so your broth is pleasantly savory but not greasy. But you may still end up with some extra fat after making beef bone broth. Here are some delicious ways to use it up:
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Roast vegetables in beef fat like potatoes, carrots, parsnips or Brussels sprouts
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Saute aromatics like onions, shallots or garlic
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Brown ground meats in the rendered beef fat
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Add richness and moisture to braises and stews
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Use as the fat for pan-frying eggs, meats, etc.
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Make a velvety beef gravy by whisking some fat into the broth
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Add depth of flavor to bean dishes like chili or lentils
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Enhance the taste of rice, quinoa or other grains
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Mix with flour to make roux for soups and gumbos
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my broth is too greasy?
Your broth is too greasy if it has an oil slick on top, the fat emulsifies and disperses instead of separating, or the broth leaves an unpleasant greasy film in your mouth.
Can I save overcooked beef broth with too much fat?
Yes, you can still salvage overcooked broth using techniques like chilling, skimming, blotting with paper towels, or pouring through a strainer to remove excess fat.
Is some fat in beef broth good?
Yes, a little fat from the marrow and bones adds richness and minerals. But too much fat makes the broth unpalatable.Aim for a savory broth, not a greasy pool of oil.
How do I know if my broth is under-cooked and needs more time?
Undercooked broth will be thin and watery rather than rich and flavorful. Beef marrow bones often take 2-3 hours minimum to extract nutrients. If your broth tastes weak, cook it a bit longer.
Can I reuse the leftover bones after making broth?
You can reuse beef bones 1-2 times to get more broth, but each batch will be less nutrient-dense. Make sure to remove any fat before second batches.
Conclusion
While oily beef bone broth is undesirable, it doesn’t mean your batch is a total loss. With some easy fixes, you can still remove that excess fat and end up with a savory, nutritious broth. Going forward, choose leaner bones, limit cook times, and skim regularly to avoid an overly greasy result. With practice, you’ll be able to get rich, delicious beef bone broth every time.