In the past, after cooking meat, I would throw away any leftover bones. Today, I much prefer stewing the chicken or turkey carcass, even beef, lamb, or fish bones, in order to make a nutrient- and mineral-rich brew.
Bone broth improves digestion, strengthens bones and joints, stabilizes mood, and restores the weak and ailing to health and back to normal appetites. A successful healing broth will gel when stored in the refrigerator. It resembles a large, jiggly pot of brown Jello. A shrewd chef ensures ample gelatin by adding chicken feet and chicken heads to the stockpot.
Collagen constitutes 25-35% of the protein in our bodies. The gelatin in broth is made up of this collagenous protein which is the result of simmering the bones, cartilage, and skin of animals. Collagen is a vital component of skin, eyes, tendons, ligaments, organs, bones, and our blood vessels. And thus, it is important for human health.
Incorporating broth into your diet makes practical the axiom, “Waste Not, Want Not.” Ingredients for a good bone broth also include flavorful vegetables.
The stock is as simple as it can be to make and reliably turns out well. The onion floats to the top and caramelizes with the long cooking, adding a delicious flavor. You should use enough bones to completely fill the slow cooker. Makes about 2 quarts.
bones from the whole chicken, lamb, pig, (knucklebone is the best) beef, or fish work well, about 6 cups
1/4c apple cider vinegar
1 piece split pig’s foot
1 yellow onion including the skin cut into quarters
2 stalks of celery chopped in half
2 carrots with skin on cut in half
Place the bones and apple cider vinegar in a large stockpot or crockpot and cover bones with water. Let sit for an hour. Add the feet and vegetables to the pot, cover and cook on low for 12 hours or more, checking occasionally to ensure that the bones remain covered with water and adding more water if needed.
Remove the bones with tongs and a slotted spoon. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into two-quart Pyrex measuring containers or a large heatproof bowl. If not using the broth right away, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered for several hours, until the fat rises to the top and congeals. If desired, skim off this fat (you can use it in your cooking), transfer the stock to containers, and cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for many months.
Chicken soup isn’t just good for the soul: There’s a reason that it’s prescribed by doctors and mothers alike when you’re feeling under the weather. All bone broths — beef, chicken, fish, lamb and more — are staples in the traditional diets of every culture and the basis of all fine cuisine. That’s because bone broths are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and they boost healing.
Bone broth or stock was a way our ancestors made use of every part of an animal. Bones and marrow, skin and feet, tendons and ligaments that you can’t eat directly can be boiled and then simmered over a period of days. This simmering causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine that have the power to transform your health.
Bone broths contain minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and others. They contain chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, the compounds sold as pricey supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain. Let food be your medicine.
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