Bone Broth

Mmm Mmm Good . . . for You!

Ingredients

Bones – poultry, fish, shellfish, beef or lamb
cooked bones from a previous meal, with or without skin or meat
raw bones, with or without skin and meat (can be browned first for flavor)
use a whole carcass or just parts (good choices include feet, ribs, necks and knuckles)
Water – cold enough to just cover the bones or 2 cups water per 1 pound bones
Apple Cider Vinegar
1-2 tablespoons or substitute lemon juice for vinegar (about 1 T/8 cups of water)
Vegetables (optional) – skins, ends and tops or entire veggie
traditional choices include celery, carrots, onions, garlic and parsley, but any will do
Salt, pepper, bay leaf, ginger, or other herbs and spices to your liking

Directions

Step 1

Combine bones, water, veggies and vinegar in a slow-cooker.

Step 2

Cook on low heat for a minimum of 24 hours (up to 48 hours for chicken, 72 hours for beef).

Step 3

Strain through a colander and discard the bones. If uncooked meat was used to start with, you may reserve the meat for soup or salads. The vegetables such as carrots, onions and celery also can be put back into the broth. If you wish to remove the fat for use in gravy, use a gravy separator while the broth is warm, or skim the fat off the top once refrigerated.

Step 4

Cold broth will gel when sufficient gelatin is present. Broth may be frozen for months, or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days.