Why Long-Simmered Bone Broth Is So Much Better for You

Bone broth has become wildly popular in the last few years, but people have actually been making it for centuries. The secret isn’t complicated. It’s time.

When bones, connective tissue, and cartilage are cooked slowly for long periods, they release nutrients that simply don’t appear in quick-cooked stock. That’s why traditional bone broth recipes often simmer anywhere from 12 to 24 hours.

And that long cooking time makes a real difference.

Bones and connective tissues contain collagen, one of the most abundant proteins in the body. When bones simmer for many hours, that collagen breaks down into gelatin, which dissolves into the broth.

According to Forbes Health, bone broth may contain collagen, amino acids, and minerals that are released during slow cooking.
https://www.forbes.com/health/nutrition/bone-broth-benefits/

These nutrients don’t extract quickly. The longer the simmer, the more the broth pulls from the bones.

Slow cooking bones can release a variety of compounds including:

National Geographic explains that these nutrients are naturally present in bones and connective tissues and gradually dissolve into the broth during extended cooking.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/bone-broth-benefits

One of the easiest ways to tell if bone broth was properly cooked is what happens when it cools.

If it turns thick and slightly jiggly in the refrigerator, that’s a good sign.

The Cleveland Clinic notes that this gelatin texture is created when collagen breaks down during long cooking times.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/bone-broth-benefits

That gelatin is also what gives bone broth its rich mouthfeel and deeper flavor compared to typical store-bought broth.

Most packaged broths are cooked much faster for efficiency. The result is usually thinner and less flavorful.

Real bone broth, however, is designed to cook for��many hours, sometimes up to a full day, which allows more nutrients and flavor to develop.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, properly prepared bone broth often requires 6 to 24 hours of cooking to fully extract collagen and minerals from bones.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/bone-broth-benefits

And that patience is exactly why homemade broth tastes so different.

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn a leftover turkey carcass into a rich, nutrient-dense broth, it’s surprisingly simple.

In the next article, we’ll walk through a 24-hour slow cooker turkey bone broth recipe that produces a deep, flavorful broth using ingredients you already have in your kitchen.