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Homemade Bone Broth

Servings: 4 quarts
Author: Pamela

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ pounds bony chicken parts such as backs, necks, wings and/or feet
  • approximately 5 quarts cold water*
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar**
  • 1 large onion peeled and cut in half
  • 2 carrots cut if necessary (you can leave the peel on, just make sure they are scrubbed clean)
  • 2 celery stalks cut if necessary (try to use the leafy parts of celery, as they add lots of flavor)

Instructions

  • Place the chicken parts and vegetables in a slow cooker and add the cold water and vinegar. Cover with the lid.
  • Set the timer to low for as long as your slow cooker will go, but a minimum of 18 hours.
  • Check periodically to skim off any foam that rises to the surface and continue cooking for 18-36 hours, resetting your slow cooker if the maximum time is less than 36 hours.
  • Turn off the heat and strain into a large heat-proof bowl. You may need to use a large strainer initially and re-strain it with a fine mesh sieve to remove any smaller particles. Allow to cool before refrigerating.
  • Refrigerate, covered.
  • The next day, skim off the congealed fat at the top.
  • Refrigerate the stock for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • If I consume bone broth as a drink, I'll add a pinch of sea salt for flavor, but other options include ginger, green onions, hot sauce, even turmeric!

Notes

Notes: for a beef bone broth, take 3 ½ pounds of mixed beef bones, such as knuckles, short ribs, femur, short ribs and neck bones. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for about an hour, turning once, until the meat and bones are golden brown. Proceed with recipe as indicated above, but cook in slow cooker for at least 24 hours. You can also mix chicken, beef and pork bones together.
If you don't have a slow cooker and want to do this on the stove, bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to a very gentle simmer and simmer until you have to go out or if you want to go to sleep. Then transfer pot, covered, to a 250 degree oven and allow to simmer in the oven as long as you wish.