Chicken bone broth
Bone broth cooked in a crock pot for 24 hours! - definitely worth the wait.
This can be made using any type of animal, e.g. chicken, beef, turkey, lamb or fish.
If you don’t have a crock pot/slow cooker then you can use a large pot and cook it on the stove.
What is it?
Animal or fish bones/connective tissue simmered for an extended period of time with the option to adding various vegetables for flavour and additional nutrients.
Provides many vitamins and minerals - this depends on the type of bones added but, with a chicken/animal carcass, which is what I used, this is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, other trace minerals, glucosamine (natural sugar), vitamin A, vitamin K2, zinc, iron, boron, manganese, selenium, omega-3, omega-6, collagen and the list goes on.
Various evidence based studies have found bone broth to potentially contribute numerous health benefits (e.g. bone and joint health, gut health, anti-inflammatory) but, more research is needed.
HOW TO MAKE BONE BROTH
Place into a slow cooker or large pot:
Animal bones (organic is a plus!, otherwise opt for free range or grass fed), e.g. 1-2 kg animal bones or simply save bones from your roast chicken (e.g. 1-2 chicken carcasses + feet, wings and legs; meat removed). You can literally collect a heap of different animal bones (chicken, lamb, beef, duck, oxtails, ribs, knuckles, neck) and cook them together!
I add 1 chicken carcass, 500g chicken feet and 500g chicken necks.
Save and store the bones from your various meals in the freezer for when you have enough to make a batch of bone broth.
Enough filtered water to generously cover the bones, approx. 12-14 cups (or more if needed!)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar - this is needed to break down the collagen and make it more abundant in your broth. You can also use lemon juice as an alternative.
Optional: add 1 tsp salt.
1-2 peeled and chopped carrots, 2-4 stalks chopped celery, 1 quartered onion, 2 bay leaves - to enhance the flavour.
Simmer on low for 24 hours.
Once it has cooled down, strain and store in the fridge or freezer.
Add to soups, stews, gravies, curries, rice (swap with water), spaghetti sauces or drink on its own!
