What's old is new again with this hearty winter classic. Chances are your grandparents made this often. Bone broth is an all-natural and ageless way to fortify yourself in winter, and it's making a comeback. With bone broth bars popping up from New York to London, we've come full circle. Take a page from your ancestors and jump in to make these delicious, nourishing broths - with all the vitamins and minerals they contain, they'll keep you and your family healthy this winter!
Classic Bone Broth
Ingredients
3-4 pounds organic or grass fed beef marrow and knuckle bones
2 pounds organic or grass fed meaty bones such as short ribs
½ cup raw apple cider vinegar
4 quarts filtered water
3 celery stalks, halved
3 carrots, halved
3 onions, quartered
Handful of fresh parsley
Sea salt
Directions
Place bones in a pot or a crockpot, add apple cider vinegar and water, and let the mixture sit for 1 hour so the vinegar can leach the mineral out of the bones.
Add more water if needed to cover the bones.
Add the vegetables, bring to a boil and skim the the top.
Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 12-24 hours (if you're not comfortable leaving the pot to simmer overnight, turn off the heat and let it sit overnight, then turn it back on and let simmer all day the next day)
During the last 10 minutes of cooking, throw in a handful of fresh parsley for added flavor and minerals.
Let the broth cool and strain it, making sure all marrow is knocked out of the marrow bones and into the broth.
Add sea salt to taste and drink the broth as is or use as a base for soups and stews. Store in fridge up to 5 days or in freezer up to 6 months.
Chicken Stock
The perfect use for a leftover roast or Sunday dinner!
Ingredients
Bones and carcass of a roasted chicken
1/2 - 1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 onions
3-4 stalks of celery
1-2 carrots
2 bay leaves
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
6-8 parsley stems
Optional Extras - whole garlic cloves, fennel fronds, leek tops, whole pepper corns
Directions
Roughly chop all of your veggies. The quantities given above are approximate, so use what you have. It's a great way to empty your fridge!
Put the chicken carcass and veggies in a pot and cover it with water by about an inch. Add apple cider vinegar, and simmer on very low heat for 6-8 hours.
Skim off any foam or film that has floated to the top of the stock. This isn't strictly necessary, but it will make your stock look and taste more clean.
Add the herbs. and simmer for another half hour, or simply turn off the heat and let is sit and stew to bring out the flavours.
Strain the stock to separate out the solid pieces. Discard the solids.
Let the stock cool, then separate into portion-sized containers. Refrigerate stock for up to a week or freeze for 3-6 months.
For more insider tips on the perfect broth, check out this great article from Bon Appétit.
Enjoy!
