THE SIMPLEST, MOST DELICIOUS BONE BROTH
OH BONE BROTH, MY BELOVED GO-TO HEALTH ELIXIR. maybe you’ve heard of it buzzing around the health and beauty sphere, and maybe you haven’t. either way you are in for a treat with this one, also known as liquid gold.
bone broth put simply is the byproduct of simmering animal bones for an extended period of time. this method leaves you with a delicious broth packed FULL of nutrients, collagen, and amino acids. some ‘claims to fame’ for bone broth are that it is anti-aging, aids with digestion, helps to heal leaky gut, protects your joints, is great for your skin, boasts your immune system, it’s easily digested and absorbed, and can help improve your sleep, just to name a few!
don’t be intimidated by the long cook time, it truly is too simple. though i do recommend a 24 hour cook time for taste and nutrient sake, feel free to try your broth at different hours whilst cooking and find the time that works best for you. bone broth is about as versatile as it is good for you, so use this recipe as a suggestion and really make it your own. i’ve experimented a good bit with different bones and i always come back to preferring chicken backs and feet to make my broth so that is what I recommend initially, but find out for yourself and see what it is that you prefer! another way to zhuzh up your broth would be by adding in a variety of vegetables, herbs, and spices. this will only help enhance the flavor, so play around and get creative!
for this recipe i have found it easiest to use a slow cooker, however if you don’t have one no need to go out and buy one. you can just as easily use a stock pot on the stove. follow all the same directions, however before you let it simmer bring everything to a quick boil. then bring it down, cover, and allow to simmer for the recommended length of time.
INGREDIENTS //
◡ 2lbs of organic, pasture-raised chicken bones (i have found that using 1lb of chicken feet & 1lb of chicken backs produces the most gelatinous consistency when cooled)
◡ 1 organic celery stalk, chopped
◡ 1 medium organic carrot, chopped
◡ 1 medium organic lemon
◡ 3 cloves of organic garlic, peeled
◡ 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
◡ 1 tsp salt
◡ filtered water
◡ additionally, i encourage you to experiment with additives such as fresh herbs, black peppercorns, red chili flakes, onion peels, etc.
DIRECTIONS //
place the bones, vegetables, and garlic into a 4-quart slow cooker and fill the slow cooker with filtered water until everything is generously covered.
add the vinegar, salt, and the juice of your lemon along with the rind(trust me) into the cooker.
allow this to cook on low for 12-24 hours(aim to simmer closer to the 20-24 hour mark, longer cook time = a better tasting & more nutritious broth). once the time is up and your broth has produced a good flavor, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer and discard of the bones.
you have now awarded yourself a deliciously easy and nutritious batch of bone broth. you can use your bone broth immediately in, let’s say… a delicious soup that you can expect to see soon? wink wink. if you are not using immediately, allow the broth to cool and store in a glass container. you can plan on it lasting a few days in the refrigerator or a couple months in the freezer.
some ways to use a batch of bone broth that i personally love are as a soup base, as a water replacement when making rice or quinoa, or simply heated up and poured into a mug for sipping.
note: once your bone broth has cooled it will gelatinize and resemble jello, as all good bone broth should. this occurs due to the high collagen content and is a good sign that your broth is full of nourishing, gut healing components. don’t worry, as your broth reheats it will liquify again. this can be alarming if you are used to store bought broths, but consider yourself warned. and most importantly welcome to that good broth life!