Easy and Simple Bone Broth
An easy meal I make for my family is roasted chicken. Depending on the sides you choose, there is very little prep needed to put this meal on the table. When we finish that meal, the same chicken still has tons of use in our kitchen. The main way I use these left over bones is to make bone broth! This bone broth can be used in many ways.
Although making soup is the first way, I use bone broth in place of water in cooking rice or noodles and as a nutrient dense beverage to sip on during the cold winter months.
To begin, you will need bones from your chosen animal. As I mentioned, I make roasted chicken on a regular basis. So, I use what is left of the chicken carcass. This recipe can also work with roasted beef bones or left over roasted turkey bones.
Tools and Ingredients for Making Bone Broth
Water – I recommend using filtered water. I generally use about 6 cups of water or enough to cover the roasted bones.
Large Crockpot or large stock pot – The size of crock pot or stock pot you use will depend on the kind of bones you use.
Fine Mesh Strainer & Cheese Cloth – These are used to remove all solids from the broth.
Ladle (optional)– While optional, using a ladle to move your fresh bone broth from your cooking container into your strainer is a lot easier.
Large Bowl or measuring cup – This container will need to be big enough to fit your strainer and a large amount of broth.
Funnel – This will make filling your jars or storage containers easier.
Storage containers – I like using canning jars so I can choose to freeze or put it in our pressure canner. If freezing, it’s best to use freezer safe canning jars.
Optional (but highly recommended) Ingredients for a more flavorful bone broth
Salt – Most store bought broths contain a lot of salt. After all, salt is one of the main ingredients that gives broth its signature taste. The best thing with making your own is you can control how salty your broth is!
Whole Peppercorns – The warm and herbaceous flavor whole peppercorns bring is also a signature addition to broth.
Carrots – Carrots add a subtle sweetness to all broths.
Onion – I use whole onion is used for broth. If you’re using peels saved from cooking craps, keep in mind that too many onion peels may make your broth a bit bitter.
Celery – Celery provides a gentle earthy / citrusy flavor.
Garlic – The savory flavor that garlic brings to dishes is loved by our family. So, it’s essential in our bone broth.
Bayleaf – Bay leafs add a complex flavor profile in addition to enhancing many other flavors from other ingredients.
Chicken feet – Even if you aren’t using chicken bones, chicken feet are an excellent addition to broth to increase collagen and vitamins
Chicken neck & chicken organs – These can be included in the cavity of the whole chicken.
Tip – When preparing veggies for recipes or other uses, save the scraps in your freezer. This gives what would be food waste another life while providing delicious broth!
Directions for making Bone Broth
To begin, set your roasted bones in your crockpot or stockpot.
If desired, add in additional ingredients and fill the remaining space in your water. You need all bones should be fully covered by the water.
If using a crockpot, set your settings to low for 12-24 hours.
If using a stockpot on your stove, allow your water to boil and then reduce to a simmer for 8 hours.
After the broth has simmered, place cheesecloth over the strainer and place the strainer over a bowl.
After that, use a ladle to transfer the liquid from the crockpot or stockpot to the prepared strainer. When the bowl is full, transfer the liquid into a storage container(s). When transferring into a canning jar, place a funnel in the jar being filled. This will allow you will have an easier and cleaner transfer.
If canning your broth, follow your canning instructions.
For broth that you’re going to use within the week or are going to freeze, let the liquid cool before replacing the lid.
After cooling, place in the fridge overnight. If freezing, place in the freezer the next day.
Your delicious and nutritious broth is now ready for use!
Frequently asked questions:
What is bone broth ?
Bone broth is the liquid created by simmering animal bones. The bones used contain a lot of connective tissue and joints. Simmering allows the collagen and minerals to transfer into the water. This makes the water rich in nutrients that our bodies can absorb.
Bone broth vs stock, what’s the difference?
You may have seen that both broth and stock use bones. The time that the bones are simmered for makes the difference between broth and stock. Bone broth is simmered for 12-24 hours. Stock is simmered for 1-2 hours.
This difference in time the ingredients simmer for greatly impacts the flavor and nutritional value of the final product. For example, a bone broth that was created with bones containing a lot of connective tissue will coagulate into a jello like substance when chilled. This coagulation reflects the amount of collagen that has been extracted. If you use the same ingredients to create a stock, it is less likely to jell when placed in the refrigerator. This indicates there is less collagen present.
How to use bone broth?
You can use bone broth in may different applications. The easiest and most common option is to use it for soups and stews. However, broth is not limited to soups and stews.
In short, you can use bone broth in place of water in almost any recipe. Sime easier options would be to use bone broth in place of water in cooking pasta, rice, quinoa or beans. You can sip hot bone broth when you are feeling under the weather or in the winter as a warming beverage. Bone broth is also great when used in gravy, deglazing pans and making sauces.
What’s the best way to store bone broth?
There are three ways you can store broth. The method you choose will depend on your available resources and when you plan to use the broth.
The first method is to store it in the fridge. This method is best for short term storage. You can use glass jars or the same container you used to simmer. If you choose to store your stock in the fridge, it is best to use it within 2 weeks.
Next, you may choose to store your broth is in the freezer. This method is best for a medium length storage. I would suggest this method if you know you will use your broth within the next 1-6 months.
Lastly, you can choose to pressure can your broth. This method is the most labor intensive. However, it creates a shelf stable option. If you loose power for any extended period of time, I suggest investing in a pressure canner to make your broth and other perishable foods shelf stable.
Are you looking for more recipes for your family? Here are some of my family’s favorites!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to know! Tag @MissysHomestead on Instagram.
