Wellness Monday: Bone Broth

Ok please don't be turned off by the name of this. Really it is just high nutritious chicken stock.

I started making my own broth about 2 years ago and I was amazed at the difference in flavor. Little did I know that it had SO many health benefits too.

* It is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus 

* Helps build the immune system

* anti-inflammatory  

* Is CRAZY good for your gut and improves digestion 

* promotes thyroid health 

* helps regulate hormones

* reduces joint pain

* fights infections so therefore it is AWESOME to eat and/ or drink when you are sick

* helps balance blood sugar 

 and SO much more. As I always say google it for yourself and you will be amazed. 

This stuff is really great to have on hand and I promise it is the easiest thing to make. My recipe below looks long and hard but I just tried to be very thorough with the steps. We always have some in the freezer and sometimes we will just heat some up in a pan and drink it for lunch or dinner with a sandwich or if I'm not terribly hungry this fills me up by itself. 

Here is the recipe:

Chicken Bone Broth 

1 carcass from chicken (or you can make beef both with beef bones etc...) 

1 onion quartered

2 or 3 carrots 

2 cloves of garlic 

all of the smaller center leafy stalks of celery or about 2 stalks of celery 

a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar 

Crockpot 

COLD Water 

**You can double this recipe. 

Ok this is what I do from start to finish. I apologize for no pictures. the next time I make it I will take pictures and update this post with them. 

**I buy the small chickens (about 4 or 5 pounds) and take out all the organs and insides, season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic (do NOT add water) and then cook it in my crock pot on low for about 8 hours or on high for 5 hours or until done. Mine usually fall apart when I try to get them out of the crockpot. 

**Once it is all cooked. I pull the chicken off the bones and shred it (I freeze the shredded chicken in 3 meal size portions for chicken noodle soup, chicken and dumpling, chicken and rice or chicken tacos). Do NOT discard the bones and skin. 

**After you have all the meat off the bones, toss all the carcass back in the crockpot along with the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. No need to peel or dice them. Just toss them in the there. 

**Add COLD water until it just covers all the bones (about 4 quarts for one carcass) and add a splash of apple cider vinegar (maybe 2 TBSP) to the water and let that sit covered for 1 hour. The vinegar helps draw all the minerals out of the bones. 

**After the one hour is up set the crockpot on low and let it cook covered for 24 hours (yes TWENTY FOUR). 

*Once the 24 hours is up scoop the veggies out of the broth and throw them away. Then pull out all the bones. I strain mine through a fine colander and pour the broth in a bowl. 

**Now you can throw the bones away at this time OR you can make another batch. I like to get as much money as possible out of that one chicken so I start over and make another batch using the same carcass.

** Once you have strained the broth, I refrigerate mine for another 24 hours to let the fat solidify on top. Then I take a spoon and scoop the fat off and throw it away. The second batch I make is always weaker and has very little fat in it. 

**After I am finished with the second batch I mix the two batches and then freeze them in freezer bags. This typically gives me about 12 cups of bone broth. 

A few notes:

 If you happen to have chickens straight from the farm, you can throw the chicken feet in with it. I know this sounds gross but the feet have lots of cartilage and give lots of gelatin to the broth. It makes it even better for you. 

Also none of this has to be exact. If you don't have all the veggies then just use what you have. I never measure my water or apple cider vinegar. I just eye ball it. 

If you want to make really really rich broth you can freeze one chicken carcass until you have cooked another chicken and then use two carcasses to make this recipe. Again, I try to get all the money I can out of my chickens so I typically just use one at a time. Either way is fine. 

You can also make this on the stove top. I have never done it this way but I know it is possible. I just find the crock pot so easy! 

Ok so go make you some bone broth... oh and just to show you how I get all my money's worth out of a chicken.... here is a break down: 

I buy a 4 or 5 pound chicken for around $6 

I get 3 meals worth of shredded chicken out of that one chicken plus I get around 12 cups of bone broth. Love it!!