Liquid Gold – How to make bone broth

The idea of bones boiling away in your kitchen may not be very appetizing but I promise, once you taste the results you will never turn back. Not only do bone broths add amazing flavour to your foods they have many health benefits. They are highly nutritious, containing ample amounts of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. They contain gelatin which aids digestion and is fantastic for joint health. No more creaky, stiff joints when broths are consumed regularly.

 

Bone broths make a great base for soups, sauces, slow cooked meals and casseroles and eliminate the need for commercial stocks in carton or powdered forms which usually have undesirable ingredients. So you will be replacing foods in your diet that have a harmful effect on your health with something that enhances your health.

 

If you are new to making bone broths I would start with chicken, it is so simple to make but it needs to be cooking for 6 hours or longer. I usually start mine in the evening and let it simmer away over night. The next day you have a beautiful, nourishing broth, and some chicken meat, which you can make a quick soup with for dinner.

 

Chicken Bone Broth Recipe (From Sally Fallon of Weston Price)

1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

*Note: Use only Farm-raised, free-range chickens.

Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, apple cider vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavourful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.

Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer.

Beef Bone Broth Recipe (From Sally Fallon of Weston Price)

about 4 pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones
3 pounds meaty rib or neck bones
4 or more quarts cold filtered water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 onions, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
several sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together
1 teaspoon dried green peppercorns, crushed
Bunch of parsley

Place the knuckle and marrow bones in large pot with apple cider vinegar and cover with water. Let stand for one hour. Meanwhile, place the meaty bones in a roasting pan and brown at 350 degrees in the oven. When well browned, add to the pot along with the vegetables. Add additional water, if necessary, to cover the bones; but the liquid should come no higher than within one inch of the rim of the pot, as the volume expands slightly during cooking. Bring to a boil. A large amount of scum will come to the top, and it is important to remove this with a spoon. After you have skimmed, reduce heat and add the thyme and crushed peppercorns.

Simmer stock for at least 12 and as long as 72 hours. The simmer should be just a rolling bubble, very low. Just before finishing, add the parsley and simmer another 10 minutes. You will now have a pot of rather repulsive-looking brown liquid containing globs of gelatinous and fatty material. It doesn’t even smell particularly good. But don’t despair. After straining you will have a delicious and nourishing clear broth.

Once you have made you beautiful nourishing bone broth, here are some recipes you can add it to.

 

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