Why you should make homemade Bone Broth

The color of homemade broth depends on the length of time it cooks down. I like it medium to dark, for robust flavor.

For years now we’ve been hearing about bone broth. It’s been all over the cooking websites; cookbooks sprung up left and right devoted to it; neighborhood stores like “Brodo” in New York opened, specializing in just selling that: broth!

Is this a fad? No. People have been cooking down bones for centuries. So what is the big deal?

Well, there’s a very compelling reason to consume bone broth. Here’s why. It’s tremendously nutritious. According to the nutritionists, bone broth:

1. Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage and collagen;
2. Inhibits infection caused by cold and flu viruses;
3. Promotes strong,  healthy bones because of its collagen;
4. Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, thanks to the gelatin in the broth; but most importantly, for me anyway,
5. Acts like a soothing balm to heal and seal your gut lining.

But we’re not talking about store-bought broth, otherwise known as stock. The broth you buy at the supermarket does not have nearly the amount of nutrients, let alone flavor (and that’s what we’re all about on this website: nutrition and flavor!) that homemade broth contains. And there is absolutely no reason why you can’t make this yourself at home for a fraction of the cost of the store-bought stuff. Store-bought is expensive!

Here’s what you do. We’re going to make Chicken Broth because it’s my favorite. I’ve tried using beef bones (yuk) and pork bones (double yuk) and I’ve decided to just stick with chicken bones. But use whatever you like.  Over time, you’ll begin to discover what flavor combinations you like best.

Let’s say you’re into roasting your own chicken. Preferably you’ve got an organic bird. You’ve had dinner and taken off just about all of the meat. What’s left is a carcass that you would probably just toss. No need! We’re going to put it to use. This chicken is going to be recycled! (If you didn’t roast your own chicken, no worries. You can do this with a store-bought roasted bird).

Take your carcass, add chunks of yellow onion or leek, a couple of roughly chopped carrots and celery stalks, a bay leaf, a little salt and freshly ground pepper, maybe some herbs like parsley and thyme, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (very important, I’ll tell you why in a bit), and throw all this into your slow cooker, adding enough filtered water to cover everything,  Set it on low, do the dishes, watch some TV, and go to bed.

The next morning, ignore it and go to work, leaving the slow cooker on. Yes, I’m serious.

When you come home, your house is going to smell heavenly. You can leave it on longer if you wish, but you’ve been cooking it for 24 hours and I find that to be long enough. Turn off the slow cooker and let it cool down for a few hours. Strain out all the bones and vegetables, and divide the liquid into jars that you can use right away (refrigerating those), and freeze the rest in some freezer-friendly storage containers if you won’t be making a big pot of soup in the next few days (just make sure you refrigerate the broth first. If it’s even slightly hot, the glass will crack in the freezer). Make sure you leave a little room at the top of your Mason jar to allow for expansion.

What you have before you is gloriously deep golden amber-colored broth, something that could never be achieved in the store-bought varieties. In comparison, commercially produced broth virtually chases the chicken through the water and out the other side. This broth that you just made has a complex bouquet of flavors unrivaled by anything on the market. Just look at it! It’s golden color is rich and full of life-giving goodness.

Now, the reason you want to add ACV (apple cider vinegar) is because it pulls nutrients out of the bones and into the broth, so don’t overlook adding just a teaspoon of it to the slow cooker as you add all your other stuff. You won’t taste it.

Now, go fire up your slow cooker and make some broth.