Lamb Bone Broth (Bones to Water Ratio)

700g per kg total

Lamb knuckles, neck bones, and trotters — Highest collagen yield; trotters are essential for a firm gel

300g per kg total

Lamb marrow bones (femur or shank) — Contribute fat, richness, and body; can be roasted separately for deeper colour

2–2.5 litres per kg bones

Cold water — Start cold to draw impurities to the surface before they coagulate

150g aromatic bundle per kg bones

Aromatics (onion, turmeric, black lime, cinnamon) — Persian profile; dried black lime (limu omani) is characteristic and optional for Turkish/Levantine applications

Blanch bones in boiling water for 5–10 minutes, then rinse under cold water — this removes blood and soluble impurities for a cleaner, lighter stock. For Persian-style broth, skip roasting; for a darker, European-adjacent lamb jus, roast at 220 °C until deeply golden before proceeding. Combine rinsed bones with cold water in a heavy pot. Bring slowly to a bare simmer (never a rolling boil) over 30–40 minutes, skimming frequently. Add aromatics once the scum has been removed. Simmer, partially covered, at 85–90 °C for 4–6 hours (8 hours for maximum gelatin extraction from trotters). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, cool rapidly, and refrigerate. Remove the solid fat cap before use. A correctly made broth will set to a firm jelly.

• Always blanch lamb bones before the main simmer — lamb releases more blood and grey scum than beef or chicken, and skipping this step results in a cloudy, muddy-tasting stock.
• Never boil vigorously; sustained boiling emulsifies fat into the stock and destroys the clarity that distinguishes Persian abgoosht from a muddy stew liquid.
• Dried black lime (limu omani) added in the last 90 minutes imparts a tart, earthy depth characteristic of Persian and Gulf-style broths; remove before straining.
• A properly extracted lamb bone broth will firm to a jelly consistency when refrigerated — if it remains liquid, extend cooking or increase trotter content.
• Turmeric (1 teaspoon per kg bones) is used across Persian, Afghan, and South Asian lamb broths simultaneously for colour, flavour, and its anti-inflammatory properties.

• Abgoosht (Persian dizi)

  Bones simmered with lamb shank, chickpeas, dried limes, and turmeric; the broth is served separately, solids mashed into a paste (goosht-koobideh)

• Afghan shorba

  Lamb bone broth with fewer aromatics, finished with dried mulberries or tart plums; thinner and more mineral than Persian versions

• Turkish paça çorbası

  Lamb trotter and head broth; higher trotter ratio (1:1 with other bones) for maximum collagen, finished with garlic, vinegar, and dried mint

• Roasted lamb bone jus

  All bones roasted dark; water reduced by 60–70% after straining to produce a glossy sauce base rather than a drinking broth

• Lamb bone broth with saffron

  1g saffron bloomed in 50 ml hot water added to the finished broth; used in Persian sholeh zard and khoresh fesenjan preparations

• Consommé clarification ratio

  Persian lamb broth can be clarified using the clearmeat method to produce a crystal-clear broth for formal presentation

• Cantonese clear broth ratio

  Structurally similar blanch-then-simmer approach; pork bones replace lamb, with a shorter extraction window

1. 1.Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies — Najmieh Batmanglij
2. 2.The New Book of Middle Eastern Food — Claudia Roden
3. 3.Zaitoun: Recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen — Yasmin Khan
4. 4.Saffron in the Souks — John Gregory-Smith

Confidence: high