The benefits of chicken bone broth have been known since ancient times. In Jewish culture, it has almost a magical status and is knows as “Jewish penicillin,” yet Western culture seems to dismiss its benefits and many forgot, or never learned, how to make it at home. Luckily, the popularity of chicken stock and broth is on a rise.
Homemade chicken soup is the original comfort food. It’s warming, comforting, and nourishing when made with genuine chicken bone broth. Chicken bouillon cubes and powders do not have the same benefit. Actually, they usually can thank their flavor and taste to flavor enhancers that are packed with MSG.
In many cultures, a good homemade chicken soup is a defense against colds and flu and this is not just an old wives’ tale. A chicken bone broth that is properly made from chicken bones contains the minerals of the bone, cartilage, marrow and vegetables if any were added. Experienced cooks even know how to help extract as much minerals as possible from the bones. According to Sally Fallon Morell, the author of the acclaimed [easyazon_link identifier=“0967089735” locale=“US” tag=“fosmmo-20” cloak=“n”] Nourishing Traditions[/easyazon_link] cookbook, adding vinegar to the stockpot with bones helps to draw calcium, magnesium, and potassium into the broth.
Chicken Bone Broth is Important for Good Health
Correctly made chicken bone broth supplies an everyday diet with hydrophilic colloids usually found in a raw diet. Hydrophilic colloids attract liquid, including digestive juices which in return promote quick digestion. When heated, colloids lose this ability to attract digestive juices as they typically become hydroponic. That means that cooked food repeals digestive juices making it harder to digest.
The gelatin found in broths is hydrophilic and therefore helps attract digestive juices to improve digestion, even though broth is cooked for hours. Most of us are not familiar with the roles that gelatin plays in our health and their importance. Actually, it’s a little known fact that gelatin is used to treat digestive disorders, colitis, and Chron’s disease as well as anemia, diabetes, muscular dystrophy, and even certain types of cancer.
How to Use Bone Broth?
Chicken broth can be used in any savory recipe instead of water. Not only will it deepen the flavor but it will also up the nutritional value. My favorite ways to use chicken bone broth are in soups and stews. Adding bone broth to meat sauces such as this classic bolognese sauce or a lighter turkey and zucchini bolognese sauce is also a great way to enjoy the benefits of a broth while creating a beautiful flavor.
Homemade chicken bone broth is easy to make. All you need is a large stockpot, a fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, and jars to store the broth. Really, it couldn’t be any easier because all you have to do is to place bones and veggie scraps in a pot and let it simmer for hours. Well, yes, you’ll have to strain and enjoy it at the end.
Easy Chicken Bone Broth
Chicken bone broth is a wonderful base for many soups, sauces, dips, and gravies. It provides flavor, depth, and nutrition. Simply use it instead of water in any recipe to increase its flavor and nutrition.
Ingredients
- 2 carcasses and bones of a roasted chicken
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups vegetable scraps (onion, celery, carrot, etc.)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
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Place chicken bones, bay leaves, vegetable scraps, black peppercorns, salt, and apple cider vinegar in a large stockpot. Top off with enough cold water to cover the bones. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
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With the lid slightly ajar to prevent boiling, bring the broth to a low simmer and keep simmering for 4-6 hours.
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3 Cool enough to be able to safely handle it. Remove bones and vegetables from the stockpot using kitchen tongs and a slotted spoon. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl or another pot. Carefully strain the broth through the fine-mesh strainer in a heatproof bowl.
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Let cool to room temperature then transfer to storing jars/ containers and allow to cool further in the refrigerator, uncovered, until the fat rises to the top.
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If storing in the refrigerator, up to four days, cover the jars and leave the fat layer to protect the broth. For freezer storing, remove the fat and freeze in freezer-safe containers.
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Use in your favorite savory recipe instead of water.
Recipe Notes
Instead of vegetable scraps, you could use 1 medium yellow onion, 1 large carrot, 2 celery stalks, all coarsely chopped.
Love chicken broth here, so delicious and medicinal. Super site.
To ensure you have a nice, clear broth when you are done, make certain that you do not bring the pot to a rolling boil at any time and refrain from stirring it as much as possible during simmering. This will only emulsify the fat into the broth making it cloudy and increasing the fat content in the end product. Ideally, you want to keep it to a low simmer with as little disturbance as possible. Another tip to get a nice golden colour to your end result is to toss in the onion skin when making the broth. It will add a nice gold tinge to the broth.
All great tips, Robert!