bone broth is like magic...

[Tammy2002]

Originally Posted by CreekWatcher

You can also save cracked egg shells and add them to the stock--the shells have calcium, and the membrane that clings to the inside has additional glucosamine and chondroitin. (Of course that membrane is not present in the shells from hard-boiled eggs.) The shells don't add any flavor.

I usually simmer chicken and turkey bones for about 24 hours, beef bones for 3 days--then strain through cheesecloth, and boil the broth way down into a concentrate, and pour into a plastic pitcher with with sides that don't slope. After it gets cold in the fridge, you can scrape the layer of fat off the top. I run a dull knife around the inside of the pitcher, turn the big hunk of gelatin out onto a cutting board, and roughly slice it up into cubes. Then I separate the cubes so they aren't clumping together and set the board down in the freezor so that they can freeze separately--then they go into a plastic bag. When re-melted on the stove, you can add any amount of water, or fill it out with more meat flavor by adding canned broth. (Or you can add the cubes to gravies and what not.)

3 days!!! i can only go a few hours before I'm itching to add the other stuff and make my soup.

[avid]

Originally Posted by rubidoux

If you start w the remains of a Costco (or anywhere, i guess) rotisserie chicken, all you gotta do is throw the remains in a pot and cover w water. you can just strain it and not save the chicken if you just want to drink the broth.

Outstanding!
I buy one of these chickens a week.
Now I have a healthy use for the carcass.
thanks rubidoux....lowcarb friends rocks

[clackley]

Originally Posted by avid

Outstanding!
I buy one of these chickens a week.
Now I have a healthy use for the carcass.
thanks rubidoux....lowcarb friends rocks

I predict that you will be 'hooked' and become a master of bone broth!!

[Buffy45]

ooops, I added too much vinegar to my chicken and broth the other day, I can taste it in both. Still can eat it but definitely won't add that again or if so, a teeny bit.

[clackley]

Buffy, 1 to 2 tbsp. is more than enough! That is what I add to a pot of about 3 carcasses and water to cover.

[Buffy45]

Yes, Cathy, I added too much. I had a big pot so probably added close to 1/4 cup. Dumb, should have known to start with a T.

[NineOhNine]

I added too much vinegar once. You can save the day by making a hot and sour soup from the resulting broth.

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by NineOhNine

I added too much vinegar once. You can save the day by making a hot and sour soup from the resulting broth.

Oh, great idea!!!

[rubidoux]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

ooops, I added too much vinegar to my chicken and broth the other day, I can taste it in both. Still can eat it but definitely won't add that again or if so, a teeny bit.

I only used a couple of tablespoons in mine and I could taste and I'm not quite happy with it. I'll try it again with a costco chicken and see what happens. Maybe the problem was that I started with raw, which is different for me. I asked my mother last night what she puts in for acid and she said "oh, a cup of apple cider vinegar."

[mom23kids]

Originally Posted by avid

Great thread...makes me want to try some.
Problem is I doubt if I will ever go through the effort.
Sooooooooooooooo
are there any commercial bone broth products out there?

Do you have a Meijer nearby? They have an organic chicken broth that's reasonably priced. Ingredients are water, organic free range chicken broth concentrate, sea salt, organic chicken fat and organic spices. No sugar added and nutritional info per cup is 10 calories/0 carbs/0 fiber/0 sugar.

It's easier/cheaper for me just to do it this way

[Hagrid's Dad]

Wonderful thread -- I'm feeling inspired to go find marrow bones and start.

With Thanksgiving coming up -- would a turkey carcass work?

Would you include any of the giblets? The skin? The neck?

[CreekWatcher]

Originally Posted by mom23kids

Do you have a Meijer nearby? They have an organic chicken broth that's reasonably priced. Ingredients are water, organic free range chicken broth concentrate, sea salt, organic chicken fat and organic spices. No sugar added and nutritional info per cup is 10 calories/0 carbs/0 fiber/0 sugar.

It's easier/cheaper for me just to do it this way

If it pours when it's cold, (instead of gelling) it's not bone broth. I've never found a commercial bone broth (it all seems to be made from meat only), but if this turns out to be the real thing (or if anyone knows of one), please post it. I make this stuff because it's supposed to be superior to glucosamine chondroitin supplements, but the sour irony is that the activities involved in making it are themselves bad for my joints. Would love to be able to buy it at a sane price.

[CreekWatcher]

[QUOTE=Hagrid's Dad;16079589]Wonderful thread -- I'm feeling inspired to go find marrow bones and start.

With Thanksgiving coming up -- would a turkey carcass work?

Would you include any of the giblets? The skin? The neck?[/QUOTE

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. (If you're like most of us, you'll want to skim the fat that comes out of the skin anyway, but I believe it also contains gelatin.)

[mom23kids]

Originally Posted by CreekWatcher

If it pours when it's cold, (instead of gelling) it's not bone broth. I've never found a commercial bone broth (it all seems to be made from meat only), but if this turns out to be the real thing (or if anyone knows of one), please post it. I make this stuff because it's supposed to be superior to glucosamine chondroitin supplements, but the sour irony is that the activities involved in making it are themselves bad for my joints. Would love to be able to buy it at a sane price.

Ah, two different things then!

[tea cup]

I save all bones and freeze them. When I have a ton of them I make a huge batch of bone broth and freeze in individual size baggies. I am lazy, I don't want to do this very often. It is an ordeal.
Usually I use the bones from at least 4 chickens in a huge pot. I add a couple of carrots, onion, celery, and vinegar or lemon juice. I put it in the oven so I don't have to watch the water level all the time when its on top of the stove. I usually leave it in the oven for at least 12 hours and occasionally add more water. The longer it cooks, the more nutrients are released into the broth.
When cooled it should be the consistency of jello. A couple of times it didn't gel, but that was because I had used too much water that thinned it down too much.
They say, if your bones snap in two and kind of crumble with no effort, you have removed all the nutrients.
I read on the internet, some people simmer their bones for 24 hours. Yikes. I think 12 hours is long enough for me.

[clackley]

Originally Posted by tea cup

I save all bones and freeze them. When I have a ton of them I make a huge batch of bone broth and freeze in individual size baggies. I am lazy, I don't want to do this very often. It is an ordeal.
Usually I use the bones from at least 4 chickens in a huge pot. I add a couple of carrots, onion, celery, and vinegar or lemon juice. I put it in the oven so I don't have to watch the water level all the time when its on top of the stove. I usually leave it in the oven for at least 12 hours and occasionally add more water. The longer it cooks, the more nutrients are released into the broth.
When cooled it should be the consistency of jello. A couple of times it didn't gel, but that was because I had used too much water that thinned it down too much.
They say, if your bones snap in two and kind of crumble with no effort, you have removed all the nutrients.
I read on the internet, some people simmer their bones for 24 hours. Yikes. I think 12 hours is long enough for me.

Tea cup, I have never considered using the oven but it appeals to me. What setting do you use?

Oh, I just found this entry on chowhound...

The reason Ruhlman doesn't have to worry is that he keeps his oven at 180. Anything over 200 will boil the stock, perhaps rapidly, perhaps slowly.

Stock making is *meant* to be done at night, when nobody's around. Restaurants routinely do this (I'll grant you it's a lot safer in a restaurant kitchen). But in a clean home kitchen at low heat I see no danger in making stock in the oven, nor on the stove.

That long, very slow simmering is what differentiates great stock from ho-hum stock.

I am convinced and will do the oven method next time!!

[tea cup]

Clackley
I get it simmering on top of the stove first so its nice and hot when I put it in the oven. I like 280 degrees. Works very well.

[readyfredy]

could you do it in a crockpot?

[clackley]

Thanks tea cup!

[Bobbin]

Originally Posted by readyfredy

could you do it in a crockpot?

This is what I want to know - I made mine last weekend, wanted to let it go a full 24 hours but had to go to work and didn't want it simmering alone in an empty house all day.

I figured a way I can drink it, I don't like it plain, but if I add some hot pepper (flakes, cayenne, etc) and some cream and sour cream....it's delish and I'm happy to drink a big mug.

[marieze]

On Friday I made a roast "butterflied" chicken (a la Limetwist) that was beautiful. When my son and I were done eating, I took most of the meat off the bones and put it in a container in the fridge. I took all the pan drippings and put them in a separate container.

At around 7am yesterday morning I took all the bones including the back which I had cut out to butterfly the chicken, a chopped onion, covered it all with water and brought it to a boil. The minute it boiled I turned the stove to low which is lower than simmer on my stove. I let it sit there for 10 hours.

I took out my strainer and cup by cup strained the bone broth into a separate pot and put all the bones into a different bowl. I took out of the refrigerator the container of the previous nights drippings and skimmed off the fat, then added the gelation (which has all the good stuff for your bones) and added it to the bone broth where it quickly dissolved. I seasoned it to taste and put it into two large containers.

THEN, I took the bones as they still weren't disinegrated, and put them back into the original pot, put in another onion, brought it to boil and started the process all over again....I let it simmer all night and I woke up to another batch of bone broth!!!!!

And OMG....the broth is a dark color and chock full of goodness. I didn't have any celery or other veggies to add but even with just the onion it is amazing.

I had googled bone broth and there are even videos showing people making bone broth and using the bones, primarily from beef feet, where they use the bones up to 12 times!!!!!! Be sure to google and take a look!

Sorry for such a detailed explanation but I want to make sure that even non-cooks can see how easy this is (it was my first time) and get on this bone broth bandwagon!

[terez]

Yesterday, I roasted a whole chicken. When I cleaned the pan, I scraped the fat off and emptied the jelly into my bone broth soup to give it a boost. I used to throw out the jelly in times past.

I use the large ravioli (one or two) as croutons to float on the top of the soup cup.

[tiva]

Sure, you can make your broth in a crockpot--that's what we usually use whenever we have poultry bones. You can make broth from chickens, turkeys, raw or cooked, in the oven, on the stove, in the crockpot. It's very forgiving. Add any herbs and veggies you like, or don't bother. Just remember: water to cover the bones, a splash of vinegar to leach out the minerals, and time.

After I strain out the broth, I let the pile of bones and scraps cool, then if I'm feeling nice, I pick out the bones and give all the scraps to the dogs. It's great frozen in kongs for their treats.

[marieze]

I, too, put in a tbl. or two of the apple cider vinegar. I am so glad I saw this thread!

[MaryD]

Originally Posted by readyfredy

could you do it in a crockpot?

This is how I do mine. I just finished eating my chicken soup and the flavor is indescribable.

I put a carcass in the crock pot, cover with water and add a tbsp. of ACV. I let it cook around 18 hrs.

A friend of mine lets the bones roast in a slow oven for about 8 hrs., then boils them for a couple hours. I used to do it that way, but get the same results from the crock pot and so much easier. Set it and forget it.

Can't wait to make a turkey broth next weekend!

[Erin57]

We go through several rotisserie chickens and many eggs in a week here. I put the bones and eggs shells in a large crock pot with a splash of vinegar and cover with water.
Cook on low for 24 hours. I make my own dog food and add this to their "doggie meatloaf."

My husband sleeps days and I sleep nights. We both find that the smell is annoying when you are sleeping. I cook it now in the garage. I just started this because it's cool outside. I'm not sure how this will work in July when the flies will be attracted by it.

When I have been short on bones I have bought whatever was cheap at the store. Chicken necks are very cheap. So are cow neck bones. I've tried pig knuckles and feet but that was a fail. WAY too greasy. Every now and then I will see lamb bones on sale pretty cheap.

[marieze]

After googling bone broth and reading several sites, there are so many people that swear by beef feet. Apparently it's the part above the hooves. Also, people swear by roasting the hones first for better flavor even though it takes longer.

[kudzu]

Ah, bone broth. What a wonderful and delicious food. you can make from what most other people throw away!

I save all of our chicken bones in a large bag in the freezer. If we go out for chicken wings, I take a container with me to bring home those bones as well. I resist the urge to ask other diners for theirs to take home, although it's tempting . Every week or so I have enough bones to make a smallish batch of broth. A few quarts...enough for a pot of good soup for the humans and enough to add some to the dogs' dinner every day. I used to wait until I could make a huge batch, but the small batches are so much easier to deal with. After simmering for about 8 hours I just pour the contents of the pot of bones through a small colander into a metal bowl and let it cool, then cover and into the fridge it goes to gel up until I'm ready to make soup or the dog's dinner. I'm fortunate in that I work from home, and can let it bubble away all day without interrupting any weekend plans.

[clackley]

Originally Posted by kudzu

Ah, bone broth. What a wonderful and delicious food. you can make from what most other people throw away!

I save all of our chicken bones in a large bag in the freezer. If we go out for chicken wings, I take a container with me to bring home those bones as well. I resist the urge to ask other diners for theirs to take home, although it's tempting . Every week or so I have enough bones to make a smallish batch of broth. A few quarts...enough for a pot of good soup for the humans and enough to add some to the dogs' dinner every day. I used to wait until I could make a huge batch, but the small batches are so much easier to deal with. After simmering for about 8 hours I just pour the contents of the pot of bones through a small colander into a metal bowl and let it cool, then cover and into the fridge it goes to gel up until I'm ready to make soup or the dog's dinner. I'm fortunate in that I work from home, and can let it bubble away all day without interrupting any weekend plans.

I share with my dogs as well! It has been a real health bonus for my senior girl who is now 16+yrs. old. And of course, they LOVE it!

[Bernsy]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

I have been making mine since being back on LC. But, I start with raw chicken, usually throw in 2 breast, 2 legs, 3-4 thighs and some wings. Simmer in water with salt, pepper and a big hunk of butter for several hours. Then I strain off the broth, package that up for the freezer and pick the meat off the bones, and then package that up in 4 oz bags. To reheat the chicken, so it isn't dry, I put some butter in a skillet on medium heat and slowly reheat the chicken in it. Thinking I need to make some today.
Last night I made cream of chicken soup. 2 cups of the broth, 4 oz of the chicken pieces, about 3 T of butter, salt, pepper. Heat that good, then stir in 1 cup of HWC, and just bring that to a boil, don't let it sit and boil so as to not curdle the cream. I melted teh 3 T of butter and whisked in about 1 t of Xanthan gum to just thicken it a teeny bit, probably could have used more. It was delish!

Hi Buffy,

Do you put any veggies in to simmer with the chicken like celery, onion, parsley?