Did you know that you can use meat, chicken and fish bones to make delicious items that will help your health and garden?
Well, if you said no, then you won’t be able to say that after today as long as you read this post because you can use animal bones to create a delicious bone broth that is so good for you.
Then you can turn those bones into bone meal for your garden which will help produce more healthy food for your family.
So if you aren’t utilizing those bones, hopefully this will help you to realize what a great addition they could be to your health regiment.
But you may be thinking, “I don’t know how to make bone broth.” No worries, I’m going to walk you through that process starting now:
Why Should I Make Bone Broth?
Before I tell you how to make bone broth, you will probably want to know why you even should make it. I mean, if it isn’t worth it, then why even put in the effort, right?
Here are a few good reasons why you’ll want to make it:
1. Great Source of Minerals
Bones contain a lot of different minerals in them. When you cook them down into a broth, you get to partake in those minerals as well.
So bone broth contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, silicon, and sulfur. All of these are minerals our bodies need to function as they are intended to. How great is it that you can make a broth and just suck those minerals down?
2. Great for Your Joints
Do you suffer from stiff joints? If so, then you’ll want to at least try bone broth. Bone broth contains both glucosamine and chondroitin. These are both great things to help your joints move as they should.
So if you have stiff joints, at least try making bone broth a normal part of your daily routine and see if it helps improve your joint health.
3. Great Source of Gelatin
Gelatin does not just belong in Jell-O. Actually, it is something that helps us to maintain our youth. You don’t need beauty treatments. You just need bone broth!
Seriously, gelatin strengthens your hair, gives you stronger and healthier nails, and improves your skin too.
Plus, it is great for your connective tissue. It will help your skin to snap back and not to sag so much. It is also great at helping to prevent dreaded cellulite.
4. Contains Glycine
It is so important that we detox our bodies. So many people don’t get out and move enough to really sweat all of those nasty toxins out each day.
Not to mention, there is so much more pollution in our world today that produces toxins that we are constantly inhaling.
So we need to focus on pulling as many toxins as we can out of bodies in order to stay or get healthy.
Well, glycine helps our bodies to detox and it can be found in bone broth. It is great for pulling the toxins out and all you have to do is consume the broth daily.
5. Great for Your Gut and Teeth
We are learning that a lot of our health comes from a balanced gut. Well, bone broth helps to improve our gut health.
But because of the minerals that bone broth contains, it is also great for our teeth as well.
So if you want a healthy tummy and a beautiful smile, then drink some bone broth to help you along.
6. Cost Effective
Finally, if you notice, most things in society that claim to be good for you are automatically expensive. You try to eat organic fruits and veggies, they are going to be marked higher because they contain less toxins.
If you want to try and consume a drink that is supposed to detox your body, the company is going to charge a premium price.
Well, this time you can laugh all the way to the bank because you don’t have to pay anything for this delicious broth. All you have to do is save the bones from the meat you eat and you can create a healthy broth.
Where Do I Find the Bones?
So you love all of the health benefits of bone broth but aren’t really sure where to even find the bones. The good news is you can use chicken, beef, lamb, or fish bones. Really, any kind of meat you eat, you could turn into bone stock if you wanted.
Which means, if you make a whole chicken, then save the bones and turn it into bone stock. If you have a cow processed for the year, be sure to ask for the bones so you can make bone stock.
If you butcher your own meat, save the bones for bone stock. If all else fails you can order them online here.
However, do the best you can to keep the bones organic. If you purchase regular store meat, the meat probably contains hormones which will then go back into your bone broth and could hinder some of the benefits of the broth.
Bone Broth Cooking Times
When you create your bone broth, it is important to know how long you’ll need to cook it. This will vary depending upon the type of bones you are using and your preferences.
For chicken bones, your broth could cook anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. It will depend on how rich you want the broth to be.
For beef bones, you’ll need to allow your bones to cook anywhere from 8 to 72 hours. Again, this will vary depending on how rich you want your broth to be.
Fish bones will need to cook anywhere from 6 to 24 hours, depending on the richness of the broth you desire.
Storing Techniques
Now, once you have your broth made, you’ll need to store it. You may have only a little bit that you could use within the next few days.
If so, then just refrigerate it.
But if you want to freeze it, you’ll either need to place it in an ice cube tray and freeze it in small batches, or you can place it in a mason jar.
However, when freezing in a mason jar you need to leave about an inch of headspace at the top. That way when the liquid expands because of freezing, it won’t cause the jar to break. If it has room to expand, then your jars will stay in one piece.
But remember, you can always can your broth as well. This is the method I use so I can make larger batches at once. Then I have it to use anytime I want for the rest of the year.
How to Make Bone Broth: On the Stove
Now that we’ve covered all of the benefits of bone broth, how to store it, and where you can find your bones, we are now ready to talk about how you can make it.
The first option for making bone broth is stove top.
1. Put Bones in Pot
You are going to begin by placing about 3 pounds of bones in a large soup pot. You can use less or more bones based on the size batch you want to make. Just adjust the vegetables, water, and vinegar accordingly.
Remember, there is no exact science to making bone broth. You are just wanting to add as much flavor to the bones as possible.
Then boil them until you get as many of the minerals out as you possibly can.
2. Add Your Veggies
Next, you are going to add your veggies just like you would to any other type of broth. I recommend adding onions, carrots, and celery to your stock for good flavor.
But you could also add garlic and other root vegetables if you like to add more flavor as well. This is a personal preference.
Whatever you decide to add, just toss them in on top of your bones in the pot. You can add as much of each veggie as you like as long as it will still fit in the pot when you add the water. This is all about you building a flavorful stock that you’ll enjoy and actually use.
3. Cover it With Water
Then you’ll want to cover everything in the stock pot with water. Some items may float to the top, and that’s okay.
But just try to make sure that all of the bones are covered. As they cook down, things will begin to sink and merry into the water.
4. Add Some Vinegar
If you like apple cider vinegar, you can add a splash to your broth. Some people like the benefits of ACV, but not the taste. In that case, you may only want to add a teaspoon or so.
But if you are someone that really enjoy its flavor, then go ahead and add a little more. Don’t forget, you can make ACV at home as well, which makes this broth that much more cost effective.
5. Boil and Simmer
Finally, you are going to bring the whole mixture to a boil, then allow it to simmer for as long as your desired time requires. It will need to simmer for at least 6-8 hours (depending upon bone type), but you’ll probably want to let it simmer a little longer to pull out as much flavor as possible.
A word of caution, when your broth begins to boil, you may see a foam build on the top of the broth. This is any impurities that is within the bones. You’ll want to scoop this off and not consume that. As many times as the foam forms, you’ll want to remove it.
6. Strain and Store
Then you’ll want to strain your broth. Pour it through a colander to remove all bones and vegetables.
Next, you’ll need to decide on how you’d like to store it. If you’d like to can your stock, here is a resource to help you along with that.
For other storage options, see above for other suggestions.
How to Make Bone Broth: In the Crock Pot
For those that have a little busier schedule, you may want to rely on your crock pot to help you make this bone stock. If so, then you’ll want to follow these instructions.
1. Place Bones in Crock Pot
You’ll begin the process by tossing your bones in the crock pot. How many you can fit in it will depend upon the size of your slow cooker.
2. Add Veggies and ACV
Next, you’ll want to add your veggies to the crock pot as well. Again, how many you add will depend greatly upon the size of your slow cooker.
Then you can add some apple cider vinegar, depending on your taste preferences.
3. Add Water
Then you’ll want to cover all of your items in the crock pot with water.
4. Turn on Your Cooker
Finally, you’ll turn your slow cooker on. You can turn it on high at first until it boils, then turn it on low and allow it to simmer for anywhere from 6-8 hours (depending upon bone type.)
Again, when your broth begins to boil, you may see a foam build on the top of the broth which is impurities that is within the bones. Scoop this off and do not consume it. As many times as the foam forms, you’ll want to remove it.
Then you can allow the mixture to simmer as long as you prefer.
5. Strain the Mixture and Store
After you’ve finished cooking the broth, you’ll need to pour it through a colander to pull all of the bones and veggies from the stock.
Then you’re ready to store your broth. You can refrigerate it, freeze it, or can it. It all depends upon how long it will take you to use it.
Now, you know how to make bone broth in two different fashions. It is great to use as a hot beverage for daily healthy, a great drink to use when you are trying to boost your immune systems during flu season or to cook with in stews and soups.
But wait! Don’t toss those broth scraps to the garbage.
Instead, feed the veggies to your chickens and turn the bones into bone meal for your garden. That way you utilize every little thing you’ve got and nothing goes to waste.
But now I want to hear from you. Do you like bone broth? How do you use it?
We love hearing your thoughts so share them with our Morning Chores community!
