I simmered beef bones in slow cooker when in fridge broth hardens?!
Answers: When I put the broth of the bones in the fridge, the liquid hardens to a gelatin consistency. What makes this happen? Is this all fat or something?? Or is it collagen/etc from the bones? Also, sometimes, broth I purchase from restaurants (Vietnamese Pho noodles) harden in the fridge. However, from other locations, such "broth" does not harden. Does this mean that the second broth is healthier or that it was probably not real...as in chemically created (like ramen soup?)?
You made stock, not broth. Broth is made from meats. Stock is made from bones. What you have is a substance that is comprised of broken down connective tissue that turns basically into gelatin. I make a big old pot of that every couple of months and freeze it in smaller portions. This is a tremendous base for soups and gravies etc. You can cook it again, water it down to the consistency and flavor you want. You can throw in veggies, pasta, some meat if you like...and make whatever kind of soup you want. Let me tell you, this is so much better than any soup you ever ate, you'll never eat processed soup again. It takes some time, but you get a bunch of meals out of it and the flavor is just amazing.
You've got it exactly. Gelatin, even Jello, is made from the cooking bones to release the collagen. I like to put the broth in the fridge so it's easier to scrap any fat off; that will be the white stuff on the very top only. The other stuff is good broth and will turn back into liquid once it is warmed.
Go to the restaurants where the broth turns to gelatin. They're really spending the time to do the good stuff. If I have to used premade broth I buy Pacific Natural Foods.
the broth is full of fat, that is why it gets hard. after your bef bones are cooked, drain the liquid off the bones and then refrig. if you want broth with your beef bones, add clear water and simmer with seasoning or add some canned beef broth. one does not need all that fat, best to get rid of it and add more liquid for healthy broth