Ok, we admit this may be a bit “old-school” but there may be some truth behind your grandmother telling you that drinking your broth will ail your body…
Often when cooking, bones are the first part of the animal we toss in the trash or hand-over to the dogs as a delicious treat but these dry, rough textured skeletal pieces actually contain impressive amounts of nutrients including protein, fat and vitamins – some of which we rarely get in our everyday diet. Among these hard to find nutrients are collagen, gelatin and glucosamine – nutrients that all aid in a healthy gut. Additionally, amino acids glycine and proline are extracted when bones are boiled down.
If for no other reason, bone broth is a delicious beverage to sip on a cold winter day as an alternative to coffee or tea – especially if you’re sick!
You can find bones in almost any “bone-in” variety of meat from the store including chicken, pork, beef and fish – the more organic and “free-range” the better (since their diets are typically more natural). Pick these up instead of the “boneless” option and you’re set! You can also pick up the bones themselves for next to nothing at many grocery stores and butchers.
Of course you could always take the easy way out and simply purchase bone broth but you’ll never get a product as fresh and nutritious as making it at home. If you decide to buy it, we encourage you to buy the freshest, most organic broth you can afford. Kettle and Fire bone broth can be purchased easily from Amazon or Thrive Market for relatively cheap.
Here’s how we make our chicken broth:
First of all, let’s kill 2 birds with one stone. If you’re going to make chicken broth, buy the entire chicken carcass and first roast the chicken using our Easy Herb Roasted Chicken Recipe then use the remaining bones for your broth! We like this simple recipe inspired by Whole30:
Ingredients:
Carcass from a 3-5lb chicken
2 carrots, roughly chopped
3 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped
5 to 6 fresh parsley stems
1 sprig fresh Thyme
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
10 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon of salt
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a large stockpot and cover with water.
- Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low.
- Simmer for 12 – 24 hours. Do not stir
- Strain the broth through a mesh colander and toss the solids.
- In a container(s) allow the broth to sit, uncovered in the the refrigerator for several hours until the fat rises to the top and hardens. You can scrape the fat off the top or leave it – it’s a matter of preference but the fat won’t hurt you. We scrape it because we enjoy the taste more without it. If your broth is slightly jiggly, that’s ok – it’s the gelatin from the collagen in the bones. Heating the broth will return it to a liquid state. Refrigeration will keep broth fresh for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 6 months.
Feel free to experiment with this recipe and add as many herbs, spices and vegetables as you would like. Veggies like broccoli, brussels sprouts, green peppers, collard greens or kale will make your broth bitter. Avoid these.