By Kristi van Tonder, 19 September 2025

Ingredients:

The broth can be kept in the refrigerator for several days, or – depending on the
quantity – frozen in portions.

• 1 whole chicken (with bones, skin, and ideally feet for extra collagen)
• 2–3 chicken necks or wings
• 2–3 carrots
• 1 small to medium celeriac (celery root)
• 1–2 parsley roots
• 1–2 onions (halved, with skin on)
• 2–3 bay leaves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 2–3 cloves (especially nice at Christmas, turning this into a festive soup)
• 4–5 juniper berries
• 1 bunch parsley (some for cooking, some for later)
• A few sprigs of lovage (added only at the end)
• 1 tbsp neutral vinegar (e.g. white spirit vinegar – helps extract minerals from the bones)
• Light oil (e.g. sunflower oil) for sautéing
• Cold water (only enough to just cover the chicken later)

Preparation

1. Heat a little light oil in a large pot.
2. Halve the onions with skin on and place them cut side down into the hot oil until lightly browned. The skin stays on – it gives the broth a beautiful golden color.
3. Add the roughly chopped vegetables (carrots, celery root, parsley root) and lightly sauté – but do not let them brown.
4. Deglaze with 1 tbsp vinegar, then immediately pour in cold water.
5. Place the chicken into the pot and add just enough cold water so that the chicken is only just covered. (Important: If there is too much water, the broth will not gel when cooled.)
6. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, juniper berries, and part of the parsley.
7. Slowly bring to a boil – the foam that forms is not skimmed off but allowed to dissolve during cooking.
8. Let the broth simmer very gently for at least 6 hours – or even overnight. Keep the heat very low so the broth only barely bubbles. Leave the lid half-closed to prevent excessive evaporation. Check occasionally and top up with a little hot water if needed.
9. Leave the chicken in the pot until the very end. The meat is no longer usable afterwards, but that doesn’t matter – the goal is the full extraction of nutrients and collagen.
10. Towards the end, add fresh lovage and the remaining parsley – this way, the broth stays clear and aromatic.
11. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and let it cool. As it sets, a firm jelly layer will form – this is the precious collagen.

Important note

The broth can be kept in the refrigerator for several days, or – depending on the quantity – frozen in portions.

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