Waste not want not!
Making your own bone broth is a little time consuming but very easy to do. Simmering down veggie scraps and bones instead of discarding them into the compost or garbage is a great way to get the most out of your food. Bone broth has been touted to be rich in vital amino acids that support collagen in our body’s, which is an important structural protein for our skin, bones and cartilage. Bone broth may boost immunity, aid digestion and support joint health. It also allows you more control of the amount of sodium, which can be high in store bought stocks. Besides being supportive, it adds depth and flavor to any meat based soups you make.
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Refined sugar free
- Nut free
- Cleanse program friendly
Instructions:
- In a large soup pot (I use a pasta pot with a fitted strainer), place bones such as whole roasted chicken carcass, legs, thighs and wings, pork chop an ham bones and beef bones. When we have meals with bones left over, there is a designated bag in the freezer for future bone broth production. I often use the bones from a whole roasted chicken or holiday turkey, but have been known to make a bone broth mix, depending on what I have on hand and the flavour I am looking for. We were even given a bag of moose bomes once that we roasted up and turned into a moose stock that we used in a beef and barley soup! I claimed I was an urban pioneer!
- You could also get bones from a butcher but if the bones are fresh, as in, uncooked, you will want to roast these in an oven first before simmering them down.
- Add at least 4 cups of veggie scraps, also collected over time and stored in your freezer. See note below.
- Cover bones and veggie scraps with water. Depending on how much broth you want, how many bones you have and how big your pot is will determine how much water you use. You can always freeze the broth in the freezer if you have more than you need.
- Bring water to a boil, cover, then turn down to low and simmer. You want at least 12 hours of simmer to extract flavors and all that goodness from the bones. I often let the broth simmer over night and into the next day.
- Keep lid securely on the top so as not to risk too much evaporation and check occasionally.
- Once your broth has simmered, let it cool in the fridge completely until the fat settles on the top. Skim the fat off. You can use this as a cooking fat if desired, I often just discard it.
- Your bone broth is now done and can be used however you wish!
Note: Collecting vegetables scraps and storing them in a large freezer bag is a great way to use up scraps destined for the compost and getting one more use out of them! The best scraps for stock include:
- Stems and stalks of greens such as kale, collards, spinach, beets, turnips, etc
- Carrot peels, tips and tops
- Celery bottoms and leaves
- Stalks and leaves of broccoli and cauliflower
- Stems and twigs of herbs such as rosemary, parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano, etc
- Garlic and onion peels
- Tops of leeks and green onions
- Peels of ginger and turmeric
Try this bone broth in any of these soups:
Creamy Ham and Asparagus Chowder-Dairy Free
Suped Up, Savory, Split Pea Soup
Sausage and Lentil Stew with Winter Root Vegetables
Immune Support Lemon Chicken Soup (Vegetarian Option)
Hearty Vegetable and Black Bean Soup with Turkey or Vegetarian