Chicken Bone Broth

Oh! There is possibly nothing lovelier than the aroma of chicken stock simmering in a crockpot. 24 hours of delicious anticipation. Dreaming of all the recipes you can add create with the stock. Or save it for drinking when you are sick. Everyone knows how good homemade chicken bone broth is for you.

Anytime I bake chicken or turkey I will save the bones, skin, and meat that I didn't pick from the bones. I just put it in a zip-top bag and throw it in the freezer until I'm ready to make my bone broth. This week I am cleaning out my freezer. Today I started my chicken bone broth. When it is done, I will pull my turkey bones from Thanksgiving and make the broth from that.

Here's the pot after 24 hours of cooking.



Chicken Bone Broth

Bones, skin, and any meat left on the carcass of 2 chickens
Enough water to cover
Celery leaves, one onion - quartered, 3 garlic cloves - halved, and carrots (optional)

Put chicken carcass in a crockpot. Add leaves of celery, onion, garlic, and carrots if desired. Add enough water to cover. Set to Low. Cook 24-48 hours. Add more water if it gets below the bone level. When the bones are brittle and break apart easily, the marrow should be cooked into the broth. It is done. Strain the broth through a fine strainer. Be watchful of any tiny bones that might get through if you use a strainer with slits or larger holes. I use a fine wire mesh strainer to prevent that.

You can now drink it, use it for cooking, or store it long term in the freezer.


*To store long term, put it in zip-top baggies (maybe even double bag to prevent leaking) and freeze. Make sure you burp as much air from the bags as possible before freezing. Lay flat and they will easily stack on top of one another.