Post split and new thread started, at OP's request. Lola
I've been reading this thread with great interest. I tried to make bone broth when I first started with raw. It did finally gel, but then other things started happening - flu, holidays, flu, flu, flu - and it sat in the refrigerator for longer than I felt was safe, and I ended up throwing it out.
Now I have another batch I have just made. I started with bones I had left in the freezer from a pork roast, and simmered those for 12 hours. Put the broth in the fridge, and then, when I made food early Tuesday morning, I took the stock pot back out, added more water and all the bones (quite a bit of meat still on them) from 10 lbs. of chicken leg quarters. This simmered for nearly 24 hours and was put in the refrigerator as soon as it was not too hot to do so. It still has not gelled. I am not terribly worried about that, because I think I know the reason - too much water.
My question is this. I am over using those leg quarters from Walmart as a source of meat. They are cheap, and free of additives, but they are VERY labor-intensive, and by the time I debone them, I might as well just be buying thighs only, which are much easier to work with. I don't mind extra skin and bones, because I know they are useful, but I don't care to have 4 lbs. or more from each 10 lbs. of chicken. I don't need THAT much broth! I have one bag of them left, and am considering putting them, along with this broth and a package of chicken feet nobody wants, in my biggest stock pot and making the mother of all broths. Now for the question: Is it safe to simmer the broth I have made for another 12+ hours after adding these leg quarters, or should I treat them as a separate batch? I would think it is okay, as I have heard of chefs using "master sauces," essentially stocks, that have been kept for years, as long as they are brought to a boil every couple of days, and new items constantly added.
Thoughts?