Cross-regional Italian technique. Every Italian region has a broth tradition — the tortellini-in-brodo of Emilia-Romagna, the passatelli of the Romagna, the minestrone of Liguria, the bollito misto of Piedmont all require a well-made broth as their foundation.
A properly made Italian meat broth (brodo di carne) is not just a cooking liquid but the foundation of an entire class of dishes: tortellini in brodo, passatelli, risotto base, and soups from every region rely on a clear, deeply flavoured broth simmered for hours from specific cut combinations. The Italian approach differs from French stock in emphasis: the goal is flavour and clarity, not gelatin (though gelatin from collagenous cuts contributes body). The broth is not reduced after cooking.
A well-made Italian brodo is golden, clear, and tastes concentrated without being strong — the protein and fat of the meat, the natural sugars of the vegetables, and the long cooking time create a flavour of remarkable roundness and depth. It is the flavour of patience.
The cut combination: one piece each of cartilage-rich cuts (chicken or veal bones), lean meat (beef or veal topside for flavour), and a cartilaginous piece for gelatin (oxtail, veal knuckle, or chicken feet). Start in cold water, bring slowly to a simmer — skimming the grey foam that rises before the first full simmer is reached. Once at a bare simmer (surface should tremble, not bubble), add the whole vegetables: onion (halved and charred cut-side down on a dry pan for colour), carrot, celery. Simmer uncovered at 85-90°C for 3.5-4 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, cool, skim fat.
The broth is ready when it tastes seasoned (not just salty) and has a golden colour with a slight depth. It should not be aggressively salty — season at the end, not during. A broth that is properly made can be seasoned to perfection with just salt; a broth made poorly will have a flat, one-dimensional character that no amount of salt can fix. Freeze in 500ml portions — it is the most useful thing in a cook's freezer.
Boiling instead of simmering — the agitation emulsifies fat and proteins into the broth, producing a cloudy, greasy result. Not charring the onion — the Maillard products from the cut face add colour and depth. Starting in hot water — the meat seizes and the proteins coagulate before they can be skimmed. Under-skimming in the first 30 minutes — grey foam contains blood proteins that make the broth cloudy and bitter.
Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking; Pellegrino Artusi, La Scienza in Cucina