Brodo di Carne is the backbone of so many recipes in this book. You’ll use it in the most traditional dish, Tortellini in Brodo (page 181), but also as a building block for many others. The simplicity of a great brodo speaks volumes. The one I make is the maestra’s—it’s how she makes it and how her family has for generations.
Everyone’s brodo is their own, and small tweaks can make each unique. One family might use more carrots, another more onion. One might use beef neck, another shank. I go for a chicken and veal shank combo, because I want to evoke la bell’aria—“the smell of the air” in Bologna, the aromas that typified my favorite versions eaten there. A by-product of Brodo di Carne is a lot of simmered meat that is often used as the basis for Lesso Ripassato (page 235), a sauce for strozzapreti.
Great brodo is achieved with patience and time. It takes a full 24 hours to develop the beautiful, round, fortifying flavors. If you rush it, it will taste rushed. You must cook it overnight, so just make sure the area around the stove and the pot is clear and that the heat is very low.
The recipe yields much more brodo than you need for any single recipe in the book. This is one of those batch recipes (see page 25) that bolognesi make in abundance, and so do I, especially because it is the amount of brodo that results from simmering one whole chicken. Use any leftovers by making other recipes that call for Brodo di Carne, adding to soups, or freezing what you don’t need for future use.
MAKES ABOUT 9 QT [8.6 L]
ONE 31/2 LB [1.6 KG] WHOLE CHICKEN (PREFERABLY ORGANIC), RINSED AND PATTED DRY
ONE 1 LB [454 G] VEAL OR BEEF SHANK
2 CELERY STALKS
1 LARGE CARROT
1 LARGE YELLOW ONION, HALVED
6 QT [5.7 L] COLD WATER
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, combine the chicken, veal shank, celery, carrot, and onion. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Decrease the heat as needed to maintain a bare simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 24 hours. The brodo can bubble occasionally, but do not boil, stir, or disturb it in any way.
After 24 hours, the brodo will be golden and translucent and taste savory. Using a ladle, skim off the scum from the top of the brodo and discard. One ladleful at a time, pass the brodo through a fine-mesh strainer or chinois into a large container or several smaller ones. Do not pour it—the force will push impurities through the strainer and contaminate the brodo. Reserve the meats (discarding the bones) and vegetables for Lesso Ripassato (page 235; they will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 3 days). If you are not using the brodo now, cool it completely over an ice bath before storing.
The brodo will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 10 days or frozen for up to 3 months.