I like to make the bone broth ahead of time and freeze it or knowing that in the next few days I will be making a soup and using this as it's base. Bone broth is super flavorful and packed with nutrition. However, using water in this recipe will lend to flavor on its own especially for my vegan friends. If you don't have the coconut aminos {alternative to soy sauce} you can omit it but it does add the brown traditional color to this onion soup and extra flavor. Most health food markets carry this. If you omit it add extra salt. Adding shredded cheese gives that authentic Onion Soup flare but this soup is tasty alone. Goat cheese is my favorite and I put my oven safe bowl with cheese under the broiler for a few minutes to brown it.

After much research, and playing around with recipes I wanted to share some updates. Adding chicken bones, feet, neck etc. will help broth to gel and since this post I have frozen leftover chicken carcasses to add to my bone broth recipe.

Some trouble shooting awareness I learned was boiling your broth too long will not allow it to gel however, you do need to bring the crock pot (or stove top pot} to a gentle rolling simmer and then drop it to lower temperature after 6-12 hours. Using too much water and not enough bones can be the determining factor of a bone broth not gelling. Many of the experts say even though it doesn't gel there is probably still some collagen in your soup and will ultimately have all the other healing nutrients and amino acids like glycine, glycosaminoglycans and glutamine! That is a lot of G's for GOODNESS! And if the "G" in your gelling isn't happening don't obsess about it like everyone else just sip your soup and know it is doing your body GOOD!

If you are bent on getting your broth to jiggle you can always add 1 tbsp. of gelatin for every quart of water and then you know your getting extra collegen! Let us not forget some other basic nutritional components of bone broth minerals like magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Also, avoid using an aluminum pot when making your broth and truthfully I would never cook in aluminum for the obvious health reasons. It is not as tricky as it sounds but show yourself some grace as you find your way in the bone broth world. Please consider using organic grass-fed beef bones for many reasons especially that they are less acidic.