Bone Broth

Here is a fantastic way to maximize the investment you’ve made in nutritious meat. If you were to buy free-range chicken broth in the grocery store it would cost about $4 a quart. At the farmers market it could cost $6-$8 per quart. Let me show you a very easy way to make $20 to $30 worth of broth that has no comparison to anything sold in grocery stores.

Ingredients

Chicken, turkey, pork or beef bones (cooked, raw, or roasted), 6-8 lbs or as much as you have

1 large onion

1 large carrot

2 celery stalks

Splash of apple cider vinegar

Directions:

In the largest slow cooker you own (I use an 8 quart) add the ingredients and fill to the brim with water.  Let this sit for 30 minutes to allow the vinegar to draw minerals from the bones. Then set the slow cooker to low heat and simmer for 12-24 hours.  Use a strainer to separate the bones and vegetables and season the broth with salt to taste. Any broth you don’t intend to use soon can be frozen in 4 cup quantities for the future in freezer bags or other containers (be sure to leave room for expansion in solid containers).  You can also cook this on the stove in a stock pot but keep an eye on the water level. The longer the broth simmers the more flavorful.  

Side note:  one of my favorite cookbook authors and fellow farmer, Shannon Hayes, suggests saving vegetable scraps from other meals throughout the week and using them instead of whole vegetables.  Things you can use include onion tops and skins, celery ends and leaves, carrot tops, tips and peels, extra herbs. Having tried this approach, I can say that the results are just as wonderful!