I was raised in a meat-free home.
Despite a teenage rebellion involving cold cuts, I lost the taste for it years ago.
But recently, I’ve been stuffing my fridge with plump organic chickens, practically salivating as I do it.
So what would make a non-meat eater go chicken crazy?
Bone broth!
Have you heard about this?
It’s a health trend across the West Coast and New York that has people slurping down mugs of collagen-rich broth like its Starbucks.
But there’s actually nothing new about it.
For generations, people around the world, have been cooking up different versions of bone broth.
Not to be confused with regular soup broth, bone broth uses mostly bones and cartilage (chicken, beef, pork, lamb or fish) and is simmered until the bones break down, releasing a ton of easy to digest minerals and nutrients.
Here’s some of the benefits of bone broth:
- Keeps you looking young by supporting hair, nails, skin and reducing the appearance of cellulite.
- Heals leaky gut, as well as constipation and chronic diarrhea.
- Strengthens joints
- Boosts the immune system
- Natural remedy for respiratory infection
Now you know why I’m hooked!
Supermarket “bone broth” doesn’t have the same benefits as the homemade version but there are some quality homemade bone broths for sale.
However, it’s a lot cheaper to make it!
Use it as a base for soup, simmer veggies in it or add it to stir-fry sauces.
I usually bake a whole chicken, remove the meat and use the bones for the recipe. You can also save up bones in the freezer until you’re ready to make your broth.
Make sure you buy the cleanest meat possible. Organic and pasture raised are best.
This can be done on a stovetop or in a 6-quart crock pot.
Chicken Bone Broth
Ingredients
Bones of whole organic chicken(throw in neck, if you have it)
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 whole onion with peel on, cut in half
3 large carrots cut in half
3 stems celery cut in half
optional: bouquet of parsley
Directions
1. Throw all ingredients into a large soup pot and fill to the top with filtered water.
2. Place on lowest heat possible and let sit for 24-36 hours. Make sure the broth is NOT boiling. When broth is done bones should be easily breakable.
Optional: skim fat off the top(I don’t).
3. Strain and let cool.
Fresh broth will last four to five days in fridge and up to six months in freezer. Store extra in premeasured amounts in Ziploc bags or ice cube trays in freezer for easy defrosting.