Bone broth has become a lot more popular over the last few years.  It has been a staple in many other cultural diets and it is understandable why it’s gained so much attention recently! 

Bone Broth Nutrients

Bone broth is not only easy to digest but also packed full of nutrients the promote healing.  As the bones simmer on the stovetop or in the crockpot for many hours, it releases collagen, proline, arginine, glycine, glutamine plus additional vitamins and minerals.  All of these nutrients can be used by all of our cells every single day! It’s no wonder why bone broth is considered a superfood!

Bone broth can promote healing, especially of the intestinal lining, supports joints, promotes healthy skin, boosts detoxification, and support the immune and respiratory system.  That chicken soup offers more than just good for the soul! 

Buying Broth vs Making Your Own Broth

When it comes to buying bone broth, you should be aware of the options available to you.  You will find the best store-bought bone broth in the freezer, such as Bonafide.  It will have a nice gelatinous layer on it as well.  That’s the good stuff! The gelatinous layer is the actual breakdown of collagen!  If you’re shopping in the soup aisle at the grocery store, look for a good, organic brand that is transparent with its ingredients.  Kettle and Fire is a brand I’d recommend.  With both freezer and soup aisle options, you might also notice the price tag.  You’re probably looking at $3.50 - $4.20+ for 1 cup of bone broth. If you’re drinking a cup a few times a week or using it to cook with, you could be looking at a pretty hefty broth budget at the end of the month! Making your own broth is much easier on the ol’ wallet!

How to Make Your Own Bone Broth

Bone broth is super easy to make! You’ll want to cook it slow and low for at least 24 hours.  I usually cook mine for 36-48 hours in the crockpot. Most of the time I grab a couple of rotisserie chickens from the store and use the meat for different recipes throughout the week.  Even if I’m not using all of the meat from the chicken for an upcoming recipe, I’ll freeze the extra for another meal another week. Once you pick all of the meat off of the bones, you can throw those bones in the crockpot or stove pot.  You can also get soup bones from your local butcher or meat delivery service. 

With bone broth, you have a lot of flexibility with flavor.  I usually open the fridge and see what veggies and herbs I have available to toss in. (Someday I’ll think ahead a put my veggie scraps in a container in the freezer for the next broth batch). There is no need to peel the veggies.  Just chop into big chunks and toss in. I like to add some ginger and/or turmeric for additional digestive benefits and a few bay leaves for flavor. Apple cider vinegar is also necessary to help draw the collagen and nutrients out of the bone.  Cover the bones and veggies with water and cook low and slow for the next 34-48 hours! You may need to add more water during the cooking process.

At the end of the cooking process, you’ll want to strain off the bones and veggies, portion them into containers, and store.  I usually store mine in mason jars and freeze it until needed. Make sure you leave a good inch of space when filling your glass container to allow for expansion as the broth freezes.  You will want to make sure your containers have cooled before putting them in the freezer to avoid your containers cracking.

Save $$ By Making Your Own Bone Broth

Who doesn’t like saving $$$???  Although I can’t tell you exactly how much a cup of bone broth costs me to make since I often just use what I have on hand. After a little rough math, I’m estimating that my most recent crockpot of bone broth cost me less than $20 to make and yielded 14 cups of delicious, golden-colored chicken broth, loaded with nutrients!  That’s less than $1.43 per cup!  Now that's a broth budge I can definitely afford!  

Bone Broth

INGREDIENTS

• Soup bones, chicken or turkey carcass, or chicken feet (almost any bones will do!)

• Veggies, chopped into large chunks

• Herbs (fresh and/or dried)

• 1-2” Turmeric and/or ginger (optional)

• 2TBSP Apple cider vinegar

• Water

INSTRUCTIONS

Add bones to a crockpot or stove pot. Toss in veggies, herbs, and ACV. Fill your pot with water. Cook low and slow for 24-48 hours. Strain off veggies and bones. Ladle into containers. Use within 1 week or freeze for future use.

*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned. They are ones I personally use and like.