Our grandmothers were onto something when they made chicken noodle soup or beef and barley soup for friends and family who were under the weather. They knew that bone broths are basically just good medicine, full of warmth and nutrition. Chicken bone broth is foundational to any cook’s kitchen and I have been making my own for a lot of years, and always from grass-fed, antibiotic-free chickens (preferably from a source I know) because healthy chickens make healthy bone broth. There are many different approaches to bone broth but I will walk you through what works for me.
- After you debone your Roasted Chicken (check out my post on this), throw your chicken bones and skin and whatever other chicken parts you have left into the largest stockpot you own.
- Cover with filtered water. Or tap water, if that’s what you have.
- Add in a couple of tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar, then go put your feet up and read a book for about half an hour while the ACV does its magic, helping to draw the minerals out of the bones.
Now Add in
- 3-4 whole carrots, washed and cut in big chunks, with green tops, if possible
- 3-4 whole celery stalks, washed and cut in big chunks, with green tops, if available
- 2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and cut lengthwise
- 3-4 peeled cloves of garlic
- 20-30 whole peppercorns
- 4-5 bay leaves
Add more water to make sure all the ingredients are covered. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Put a lid on it. Let it simmer on low heat for around 24 hours. You can see in these videos how much richer the broth gets as it simmers.
After it cools down somewhat, strain the broth through a colander into freezable containers and let cool completely before you put the lids on and transfer to freezer. Here’s a plug for Souper Cubes, pictured below, which prove fantastic for freezing broth and other soupy leftovers.
Now you have multiple portions to use for soups, for extra flavor when cooking grains, for the base of sauces or just heated with a dash of salt when you aren’t feeling well. Now you can justify spending the extra money on a healthy, locally sourced chicken.
