Scallion Ginger Bone Broth

I’ve been making bone broth for years. My mother believes bone broth brings life and healing to everyone it touches, and she might just be right!

And while the broth has been wonderful for cooking with, I’ve never enjoyed just straight sipping on it - no matter how much salt I added, it was never “sippable” broth. I wanted that beautifully clear and delicately balanced in flavor kinda broth you find in most Asian restaurants (like in pho or soup dumplings). 

After digging around, I finally had to throw in my hat and concede the MSG must be the answer. I’m sure there are gasps and shocks “how could a daughter of a nutritionist DARE to even glance at that taboo seasoning?!” Yeah yeah, I get it. BUT, after doing more research on the topic, it seems a lot of the fear around MSG doesn’t have a real backbone to stand on - I found this article from Bon Appetit enlightening if you’ve always thought that MSG is the devil (a belief I kept until recently). 

And if you’re still unsure or still believe MSG is unforgivable, that’s totally fine and you don’t have to use it! I made sure to keep it optional, because I know it’s a controversial ingredient. BUT, like I said, that’s the secret umami key to getting that restaurant-quality sippable broth. And if you’re ordering pho (ahem, Mom, I’m looking at YOU) or soup dumplings or anything delicious and brothy at an Asian restaurant, I think you know - and I know - that you’re consuming MSG, so is it really a big deal?

Some of my favorite toppings for sipping on this delicious broth include: cilantro, scallions, squeeze of lime, and, of course, my Fried Garlic and Sesame Chile Oil - ohhh it’s a match made in heaven.

Scallion Ginger Bone Broth

Makes 12 to 15 cups

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds chicken feet*

½ pound chicken wings

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 heads of garlic, halved

3 stalks celery

1 large yellow onion

1 large shallot

6 scallions

1 small bunch of cilantro 

4” piece of ginger root, halved

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon peppercorns (I used a mix of black and pink szechuan)

2 tablespoons kosher salt (only start with 1 tablespoon if using sea salt)

2 teaspoons MSG, optional (sub with more salt to taste if you can’t bear the idea of using MSG)

*if chicken feet grosses you out and you can’t make yourself cook with them, then I’m here to relieve you and say: you don’t have to use them. Substitute feet with other high-cartilage parts of the chicken, like chicken backs, or more wings.

Instructions:

I recently started preparing my chicken feet this method I discovered a few months ago: 

Place chicken feet in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Only boil for about 5 minutes, just long enough for the impurities to release. The impurities will rise to the top in a foam, skim it off as it appears. Then drain chicken feet and rinse with cold water so they’re cool enough to handle. 

Using a sharp knife, cut off tips/claws of feet and any rough spots that may be on the pads of some of the feet. 

*if you are NOT using chicken feet, don’t worry about any of the instructions before now.

Instant Pot instructions:

Place feet and all other ingredients in the Instant Pot. Fill with water until everything is covered (mine always fills right up to the “max” line). 

Cover and seal, then cook on Soup/Broth setting for 45 minutes. Once it’s done, release steam valve, and after all the pressure has been released, open the lid. 

Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Then use right away, or store in the refrigerator or freezer! 

After it cools in the refrigerator, it should get nice and gelatinous for all the natural gelatin and collagen in the bones. If you didn’t use feet, you might not get as nice of a gel.

Stove top instructions:

Place feet and all other ingredients in a large stock pot. Fill with water until everything is covered. 

Bring to a gentle boil on medium high heat, then turn heat down to low and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. 

Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Then use right away, or store in the refrigerator or freezer! 

After it cools in the refrigerator, it should get nice and gelatinous for all the natural gelatin and collagen in the bones. If you didn’t use feet, you might not get as nice of a gel.

This broth is great for plain sipping, in a soup, to make congee, or even to bring savory flavor to a pot of rice.