bone broth is like magic...

[faithgirl]

Maybe a dumb question, and I am probably misunderstanding, but...are you guys using bones that people have actually eaten the meat off of? I don't mean cut the meat off, but eaten it off of?

[dipgal]

I cook my organic pasture fed bones in the crockpot for 3 days...on low...adding water as needed. It is totally gelatin when cooled and I add water when reheating to make it last longer. My biggest problem is getting a constant supply of bones from my local farmers. If I were able to get what I needed, we'd have the crockpot running continuously and would have it twice a day. Because of the lack of bones I don't have it daily and don't find any health improvements.

[Meli-Mel]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

Maybe a dumb question, and I am probably misunderstanding, but...are you guys using bones that people have actually eaten the meat off of? I don't mean cut the meat off, but eaten it off of?

I don't! I've only made broth twice now, and the first was from a turkey breast I had roasted. The second was from a chicken I roasted on Thursday and deboned. I made stock from that today.

[clackley]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

Maybe a dumb question, and I am probably misunderstanding, but...are you guys using bones that people have actually eaten the meat off of? I don't mean cut the meat off, but eaten it off of?

Yes.

[GME]

I have a crockpot full right now.

I'm planning to make a batch or soup/stew with it. How much of the broth do you use? All of the liquid in the recpe? Half of the liquid? It's beef with carrots, celery, onion and garlic cooking in it.

[MrsJackSprat]

Speaking of chicken fat.................................

has anybody noticed that the fat that congeals on top of the cooked broth is a soft "sloppy" product? I remember when I was a young'un that the chix fat turned into a solid slab when it was cooled and it was so much easier to remove. I think they are feeding the chickens a different diet now-a-days!

btw....as many times as I've cooked broth, I've never heard of using an acid to leach the bones. I guess you can teach an "old dog" new tricks. thanks everybody.

[tiva]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

Maybe a dumb question, and I am probably misunderstanding, but...are you guys using bones that people have actually eaten the meat off of? I don't mean cut the meat off, but eaten it off of?

Sometimes--it boils for hours, so any chance bacteria that might have made it onto the bone from the diner's knife and fork are long gone.

[Angeloco]

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!

This sounds delicious. So going to try it.

[terez]

I haven't been able to make the broth into a gel using a whole chicken carcass. I'm going to stick to beef.

[GME]

I cooked it all night (total of about 24 hours) and got up this morning and strained it. I got a quart plus a little bit. The bones didn't disintegrate, but the marrow all came out (it was beef shank, a pretty big leg bone). It was dark and fairly thick.

I put it in a mason jar, just because it was pretty (anyone who has ever canned anything knows what I am talking about) and took a picture to send to my friend that also makes bone broth. I drank the half cup or so that didn't fit in the jar. It tasted like the juice from the stew I make, only heartier. It totally took away my appetite for breakfast.

I put half the quart back in the crockpot with the meat I took off the bones yesterday and veggies for soup. I divied up the rest into five jars to take to work for afternoon "snacks" next week. My absolute downfall is coming home in the evening hungry. It wound up being about a half cup each of the straight broth, and I added another half cup of water to fill the jar.

I didn't have enough patience to wait and see if it gelled when it cooled. I'll see if the little jars do, but they are only half strength now.

Now I can't wait to make chicken bone broth!

[Dottie]

After I took the meat off the roasted turkey Thursday, I put the pan juices and the carcass in a container and froze it to make bone broth.
Any tips?
I'm thinking of putting it all in the crockpot with enough water to cover, 1T bragg's vinegar and some chopped celery, carrot and onions. Cook on low(?) for around 24 hours?

[EllaP]

Originally Posted by Dottie

After I took the meat off the roasted turkey Thursday, I put the pan juices and the carcass in a container and froze it to make bone broth.
Any tips?
I'm thinking of putting it all in the crockpot with enough water to cover, 1T bragg's vinegar and some chopped celery, carrot and onions. Cook on low(?) for around 24 hours?

I made some in the crock pot with Thursday's carcass for about 24 hours. I only had celery and onion for vegetables to add to it. I put the onion in, quartered, with peels still on and it made a very rich color and tasting broth.

I'll never get to make soup with it, because I keep drinking it plain. It's quite satisfying to sip on.

[Dottie]

Thanks

[creativelc]

There are so many great ideas on here. Love the cream of chicken soup idea.
My son makes bone broths on the stove top. He likes to make a shrimp broth, and saves shrimp peels for this purpose.

I have this crock pot recipe that I intend to use soon. It suggests using any vegetables you have in the fridge, including green leek tops, shallots and celery leaves. I would add some garlic to this recipe.

Combine in crockpot:
2 lbs. chicken bones (three carcasses with wings)
2 onions, 3 ribs celery, 3 carrots, all coarsely chopped
10 sprigs of parsley, or parsley stems, 2 bay leaves and 1/2 tsp. peppercorns
Add: 12 cups cold water, cover and cook on low 12-24 hrs.

Strain through cheesecloth lined sieve, into large bowl. Press vegetables to extract liquid. Chill in fridge, and skim fat.

[vilanteira]

Question for those making this in a crockpot. How large are your crockpots? I think mine must not be large enough, because I feel like with the bones and veggies in there, there wouldn't be enough room for very much liquid at all. I've always just done this on the stove, but the crockpot has its appeal so I want to try it out.

[Dottie]

I am not sure. I have a standard sized one and an oblong one that holds about 2x as much.

[vilanteira]

Originally Posted by Dottie

I am not sure. I have a standard sized one and an oblong one that holds about 2x as much.

From what I'm seeing just googling, I think mine is smaller than a standard. Think I'll go hunt down some Cyber Monday deals on larger ones.

[creativelc]

Originally Posted by vilanteira

From what I'm seeing just googling, I think mine is smaller than a standard. Think I'll go hunt down some Cyber Monday deals on larger ones.

I agree, I need a larger slow cooker myself for this broth adventure. An overloaded crock pot can explode. I had that happen. We added more meat for some extra guests, and the lid exploded up into the air. After that I re-read the directions, and found out that you should not load it more than 3/4 full. It was a new crock pot and I was going to return it, but evidently it was my fault. I have a few sizes, but now I need a bigger one for broth. I think a 6 qt. will do it.

[Dottie]

lol I had a rival one for about 20 years and it just gave up about 3 years ago
I'm sticking with that brand but the newer ones don't seem to be made as well.

[alex_in_wonderland]

Subbing! I am getting thirsty reading this thread...got to make some delicious broth SOON!

[tracymitch]

So do you guys open up the bones and scrape out the marrow after you'Re done? My bones have been simmering a good 20hrs and the bones are soft and break easily.

[GME]

Originally Posted by GME

I cooked it all night (total of about 24 hours) and got up this morning and strained it. I got a quart plus a little bit. The bones didn't disintegrate, but the marrow all came out (it was beef shank, a pretty big leg bone). It was dark and fairly thick.

I put it in a mason jar, just because it was pretty (anyone who has ever canned anything knows what I am talking about) and took a picture to send to my friend that also makes bone broth. I drank the half cup or so that didn't fit in the jar. It tasted like the juice from the stew I make, only heartier. It totally took away my appetite for breakfast.

I put half the quart back in the crockpot with the meat I took off the bones yesterday and veggies for soup. I divied up the rest into five jars to take to work for afternoon "snacks" next week. My absolute downfall is coming home in the evening hungry. It wound up being about a half cup each of the straight broth, and I added another half cup of water to fill the jar.

I didn't have enough patience to wait and see if it gelled when it cooled. I'll see if the little jars do, but they are only half strength now.

Now I can't wait to make chicken bone broth!

The little containers of half-strength never gelled, but the soup I made out of the rest of it did. I had a bowl for lunch today.

I started a pot of chicken bone broth this evening. How dorky is it that I think this is a lot of fun?

[Dottie]

Originally Posted by faithgirl

Maybe a dumb question, and I am probably misunderstanding, but...are you guys using bones that people have actually eaten the meat off of? I don't mean cut the meat off, but eaten it off of?

I just saw this. For me: NO! The thought of it skeeves me out to no end. I use the carcass and bones that I've cut off, not once it's been handled or chewed on.

My turkey carcass and the leg/thigh have been in the crock since about 7pm last night, so almost 12 hours so far. DH says he kept waking up wondering what that smell was.... the dog is like "is that for me???"
I only have the bones, water, 1T vinegar, salt and pepper in it now -do I add veggies (onions, celery, carrots?) now for flavor, or wait until it has 2-3 hours left to cook?

[clackley]

Dottie, I add everything at the start with the exception of the seaweed at the start. Don't forget a bay leaf or 2!!

[ChristineCQ]

I have beef bones in the freezer from a pack of grass fed beef I bought from the butcher; I was wondering what to do with them. DH is sensitive to the smell of bones, though, so I'm wondering how it will be for him. I'm going to try the crockpot method.

[clackley]

Christine, be sure to roast the bones first!

[ChristineCQ]

Originally Posted by clackley

Christine, be sure to roast the bones first!

Will do! Saw that as a suggestion: 375 for 20-30 minutes is my plan. LMK if you have different advice! And thanks!

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by svenskamae

I make chicken broth from the carcass/bones of a roasted chicken every week (with filtered water, bones, onion, and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar) and beef broth from beef soup bones or oxtail nearly every week (roasting the bones at 400 for 45 minutes before I put them in the soup pot, again with onion and apple cider vinegar and salt). There are lots of great benefits from homemade broth, including getting calcium and natural gelatin high in vitamins and minerals. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon emphasize how good bone broth is for your health, in their book "Nourishing Traditions." I find that roasting the bones first (e.g., using bones from a roast chicken after stripping off the meat) gives me the best results. I normally chill the broth and remove some of the fat that rises to the top before eating it, so it doesn't taste greasy.

How long do you simmer your broth? And how much water do you add when putting everything into the pot?

[Star73]

How do you strain the broth? Do you use a cheese cloth?

[GME]

I will offer my expert opinion since I am now on my second batch......

I roasted shank bones (with meat) for an hour in the BBQ, the temp was about 350. Then I cut the meat off and put the bones in the crockpot for 24 hrs with ACV (about a tbls) carrot, celery, onion, garlic, s&p, a bay leaf and enough water to cover the bones plus an inch or so (I did add water occasionally as it cooked). When it was done and cool, I strained it through a cheesecloth in a mesh strainer.