We live in a disposable society. Just about everything that comes into our house is easily and readily replaced with something better, newer, cheaper or brighter. But our grandparents, who lived through some pretty lean times, were just the opposite—they found a use and reuse for just about everything that came into the house. They were green before being green was a thing.
So, in the next few weeks, I’m going to write about some of those things that we should not be tossing, things that have more purpose and use if we’ll just take a bit of time to get full use out of them.
Today the topic is bones
Chicken bones, turkey bones, ham, steak and roast bones. Typically you throw these out, right? Or maybe you’ll give them to the dog to chew on—not the chicken and turkey bones, of course, but everything else. Instead of throwing out those bones, why not make a broth with them?
Did you know that all the best restaurants always have a stock pot of broth simmering on the back burner? They use this broth to cook vegetables, make rice pilaf and risotto, poach fish and make flavorful soups and sauces. It’s extraordinarily versatile and brings the flavor of the food up a notch or two.
Why bone broth is so good for you
Here’s the thing: those bones still have a lot of good nutrition and food value in them. Bone broth is a cheap yet tasty, nutrition-dense food that should be a regular part of your family’s diet. It is high in minerals and collagen, so it helps build healthy hair, skin, nails and bones. It is anti-inflammatory, so it’s good when you have an upset stomach or a cold or flu. That’s why
your mom always made chicken soup for you when you were sick.
So easy!
In the last month I have made seven batches of bone broth. My slow cooker ran non-stop for two weeks! Five of those batches were made with turkey bone and one batch each of chicken and goose. Four of the turkey carcasses came from friend’s Thanksgiving dinners—they were destined for the garbage can, but I asked my friends if I could have them instead—and the rest came from our holiday and family meals. The result: seven gallons of broth that cost just pennies to make.
Once the broth was cooled, I portioned it out in to 1-quart baggies and froze them to use as needed.
The secret is a long, slow simmer along with apple cider vinegar that releases all the nutritional goodness in the bones and marrow.
And the best part—besides all the money-saving and good nutrition—is bone broth is ridiculously easy to make. Seriously, it’s crazy easy.
Just put your bones in a pot, add a few vegetables, like carrots, celery,
onions and maybe a garlic clove or two. Add a few of your favorite herbs, like parsley, thyme or oregano and some apple cider vinegar. Cover with water and simmer. That’s it. Here’s the recipe with complete instructions.
So easy!
In the last month I have made seven batches of bone broth. My slow cooker ran non-stop for two weeks! Five of those batches were made with turkey bone and one batch each of chicken and goose. Four of the turkey carcasses came from friend’s Thanksgiving dinners—they were destined for the garbage can—and the rest came from our holiday and family meals. The result: seven gallons of broth that cost just pennies to make.
It will take 2-3 pounds of bones to make a batch of bone broth. Now, a chicken doesn’t have very many bones, certainly not big ones. So every time we have roasted chicken or drumsticks or thighs for dinner, I save up all the bones and put them into a baggie in the freezer. Then when I have enough bones—usually two whole carcasses and a dozen or so leg or thigh bones—I will start a batch of broth in my slow cooker.
Such a tasty and nutritious thing that’s good for your budget. I hope you will start saving your bones and make some yummy bone broth.