Bone Broth 101

[Stiina]

Let's talk all things bone broth!! I searched, and there's no thread with any of this information all compiled together.

I make bone broth with soup bones from my butcher - sometimes they have meat on them, sometimes not.

I plunk it in my slow cooker, add a bunch of water, a couple big glugs of ACV, a head of garlic and a tablespoon of Real Salt. I put it on Low for 24 hrs or so, then let it cool and strain it. I usually make soup right away and only end up freezing about 1 ice-cube tray of the broth, but I'd like to use it more often since I've learned about it here on gcm.

I feed the meat to my toddler and use the broth to make soup. I've cooked some veggies in the broth before, and stir fry is yummy when you add some broth. But that's about it.

I'm intrigued by crushing the bones and using them for things - the bone in my last batch was crumbly after about 12 hours but I gave it to the dogs. Whoops. Now that I know you can use the bone, the one in this batch isn't getting crumbly at all even after 24 hours! :doh
How do you use the bones?

Hit me with everything you do with your broth!!

[JenLovie]

:cup (of warm broth) Following along.

[charla]

:popcorn

[crunchymum]

I've only made it once. :giggle but I loved how it turned out!

I used this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwHQ0sPItYQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Basically, I roasted the bones until nice and golden brown, plunked them into a stock pot. Added a little salt, some bay leaves, and balsamic vinegar (the acid helps pull the minerals from the bones). Covered the bones with cold water, and brought it to a boil. Then I turned the heat the the lowest setting and let it simmer away for 3 days. The video says you can cook it for 5 days, but I did less. I think I read somewhere that it should be at least 2. :think


Anyway, it was soooooooo delicious.:yum I'd like to try making bouillon sometime, too.

---------- Post added at 01:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:10 PM ----------

Oh, and I did give the bones to my dog. :yes

[3boysforme]

I do the same, sometimes I roast the bones sometimes I don't. It just depends on how much time I have. I do not grind the bones in either. Does it make that much of a difference nutritionally?


Jen- how does one make boullion? Is there a link to a how to? I use chicken boullion a lot and would love to do a homemade version.

[mamacat]

I just have such a hard time even finding bones. We dont have an old fashioned butcher here and the ONE grocery store that still deals with bones will not sell them or give them away. There is a wonderful but pricey grassfed beef place that sells the bones but they are costly.. One other little family ownedmarket has them sometimes but dont even like to get meat here.........

[3boysforme]

What kind of bones do you use for beef broth? I have only done chicken and turkey so far. I can get knuckles from my grocer, would that work?

[ValiantJoy07]

kids are up gotta run :popcorn

[crunchymum]

I do the same, sometimes I roast the bones sometimes I don't. It just depends on how much time I have. I do not grind the bones in either. Does it make that much of a difference nutritionally?


Jen- how does one make boullion? Is there a link to a how to? I use chicken boullion a lot and would love to do a homemade version.

I don't think it makes a difference nutritionally, I just think it adds taste and color. :shrug IMO everything is better roasted!

The video I linked has directions to making bouillon. :yes Basically, after you've made the bone broth and scooped out the tallow, you make a reduction with the broth. :) that's it!

What kind of bones do you use for beef broth? I have only done chicken and turkey so far. I can get knuckles from my grocer, would that work?

I just get beef "soup bones" at the grocer. I hear knuckles make great bone broth. :yes

[charla]

I'm in the same boat. I can figure out chicken or turkey bones, but I have no idea what kind of beef bones and where to get them.

[crunchymum]

I think also getting "marrow" bones works. :think

[raining_kisses]

I am IN LOVE with chicken bone broth. I make it once a week, and use half for soup right away and half for ice cube trays. I cook everything with the cubes these days. Rice, veggies, pasta sauces, taco meat, hmmm...can't think of anything else. Oh wait, I add it into mashed potatoes.

I want to try beef broth next. :yes

[3boysforme]

I'm in the same boat. I can figure out chicken or turkey bones, but I have no idea what kind of beef bones and where to get them.


I did do a beef broth after we had a whole rib roast for Christmas one year. It was a very good broth :yes but obviously rib roasts are expensive to buy just for the bones :giggle

[Amy]

I've read that marrow bones are suppose to be very healthy (or is it the same as other bones?). I buy my beef bones from the hfs and I use chicken carcasses after a roast chicken for chicken broth.

[Stiina]

mamacat, that stinks that you can't find any! Knuckles are good, but most places you just ask for soup bones and they know what you're talking about.

I'm going to poke Joy. She made ground-up-bones-popsicles for her boys. :tu And I want to know more about it!

[ncsweetpea]

We get grassfed beef from local farmers and have never paid more than $1/lb for soup bones.

Another tip I learned years ago, when chopping celery or carrots instead of throwing away (or composting) the ends or celery leaves, chuck them into a ziplock in the freezer. When you have bones, you already have the celery, carrots and onions to add to round it out. I strain that out with the bones when I'm done simmering.

I also add whole peppercorns to the pot while simmering.

[Stiina]

Great tip on the peppercorns!!! My mom taught me the freeze-veggie-scraps trick. I do garlic trimmings too. One tip, though, is do NOT do that with broccoli or cauliflower. It is GROSS. :sick

[ncsweetpea]

Or turnips! ;)

[Stiina]

Oh yelch! That would be gross, too. :)

Cate, sounds like you're a broth pro!! I bet you'll love beef broth. :tu We haven't eaten chicken in years...haven't found a good source for it yet. We decided we'd get our own, but I'm ensuring that DH has the portable pens made first. :giggle I'm craving some chicken. I bet the broth would be fabulous. :tu Boil me up some chicken feet; yeehaw!!!

[NeshamaMama]

I only do chicken right now. We eat a chicken for dinner, pick the extra meat off afterward for another meal, then I toss the carcass in a pot, cover it with cold water and a couple tbsp of raw ACV and let it sit for a while (an hour or two?). When I start getting ready for bed I toss in my veg (I keep celery, carrot, garlic, and onion scraps in the freezer like ncsweetpea mentioned :yes) and some salt and pepper (maybe a tbsp of salt, 1/2-1 tsp of pepper?) and turn it up to a boil, covered.

By the time I'm ready for bed it's usually boiling so I uncover it, give it a good stir, and re-cover it, turning the temp down to a simmer. I simmer it all night (~12 hours) and then the next day I strain it into a bowl, chuck that in the fridge and the next morning skim the fat and freeze or use the broth.

One thing that I have been wondering - why do we skim the fat? :think

We use broth to make gravy, soups (obviously), rice, lentils, and my toddler loves it just in a straw cup as a drink! It's an awesome thing to take along in the car when she doesn't want to eat "real" breakfast! I also keep it on hand because she will eat *anything* as a soup, so if she doesn't like the dinner I made I'll pour some broth in her bowl and make whatever it is into "soup". :shrug We've reinvented many a meal for her that way. ;)

The one time I tried doing bone broth in my slow cooker, the broth reduced down to almost nothing after 24 hours and my crock got all icky. :doh I don't know what I did wrong... :think Maybe my slow cooker isn't big enough?

---------- Post added at 08:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:22 PM ----------

Oh yelch! That would be gross, too. :)

Cate, sounds like you're a broth pro!! I bet you'll love beef broth. :tu We haven't eaten chicken in years...haven't found a good source for it yet. We decided we'd get our own, but I'm ensuring that DH has the portable pens made first. :giggle I'm craving some chicken. I bet the broth would be fabulous. :tu Boil me up some chicken feet; yeehaw!!!

Chicken feet are supposed to make the BEST bone broth!! :tu

[The Tickle Momster]

I just did a few days of perpetual bone broth. :tu I do like others have said in the crock pot. Then after the first 18 - 24 hours I scoop out about a quarts and replace with water. I keep doing this until the broth is pale yellow for chicken broth or just paler for beef broth.

I got several quarts and several pints from the last batch.

Oh, we get our beef bones when we get our 1/2 cow. I just tell them I want the soup bones and freeze until I am ready to use them.

[Stiina]

Great advice!!!! How great that you can give broth to your dd that way and she loves it! I will have to try my Pip. Great tips!!

My broth reduces a lot, too. So when you do it on the stove, it doesn't? I think I will cover my crockpot with tin foil and *then* the lid - then the steam won't escape.

---------- Post added at 06:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:27 PM ----------

Oh I didn' tknow that about perpetual broth!!!!! Exciting. I'm going to do that RIGHT NOW! I just had the broth sitting there cooling. Gonna go scoop some out - yipeeeeee!!!! Thanks Michelle!

[NeshamaMama]

Stiina, my broth on the stove reduces by about half in 12 hours and I get about 2 quarts yield. In the crockpot, there was literally about a cup left after 24 hours. :doh :giggle

I've totally been wanting to try perpetual bone broth too, Michelle, thanks for reminding me of that!! That sounds like something that really needs the crockpot (having my stove on for days at a time doesn't sound like such a great thing right now!) so I'll have to get that figured out first. :think The tin foil under the lid could be a great idea Stiina, update us on how it goes! :tu

[raining_kisses]

One thing that I have been wondering - why do we skim the fat?

I don't skim the fat. You're supposed to? :shifty

BTW, I made chicken and dumplings with chicken bone broth, and it made the thickest, yummiest "gravy" ever. Mmmmmmmm......:heart

[Stiina]

Oh boy. Mine didn't reduce THAT much!!! :roll that's a concentrated bullion you had!!!

Got my perpetual broth going now with tin foil on top.

[shekinah]

Great thread! I was surprised with all the GAPS people there wasn't one already when I went looking a few months ago. :giggle

I mix some tomato paste with water and spread it all over the bones, roast for 45 minutes at 350F, then put them into my water bath canner as it's the largest pot I have. I add scraps for about 4 carrots, 2 onions, 4 celery stalks, 3 garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and a handful of peppercorns. 1/2 cup white vinegar to help leach the minerals, and fill with filtered water so it's about an inch over the bones.

I simmer for a couple days with the lid on, strain, and immediately put into the fridge. The fat hardens on the top once it cools, so I crack that off and throw in a bag into the freezer to use in cooking (I don't bother boiling it down and straining further).

I reheat the broth on the stove, pour into jars, and pressure can for storage. That likely breaks down some more of the nutrients, but I don't have room in my freezer as we get our meat in bulk and fill up the deep freeze with that. Or I reheat and simmer with a bunch of spices so it's all flavoured and can that in smaller jars for quick gravy making if I just want some on my potatoes or whatever. That's a great idea about freezing some in ice cube trays! I'll have to do that next time.

I don't have access to chicken bones though :( Apparently you get a ton more gelatin by throwing a chicken foot into the beef stock. I'd love to make chicken stock too.

Does anyone make fish stock? What does it taste like? Is it really fishy flavoured, or does it just take like a stock?

What about moose stock? My inlaws will probably shoot a moose this fall as usual, and they just throw the bones away. I could get them for free. Would it be any good?

[Chaos Coordinator]

I throw the bones in the crock pot with water and then ignore it for a couple days. Well that's not entirely true, because I pull broth from it for food so if I see it's low then I add water.

Mines not gelatinous upon cooling, but it's not like the minerals go anywhere - only the water evaporates out. I jut add more water. IMO it must equal out. Surely :think

I love a good bone broth - justmandy told me her recipe. A few whole carrots, celery stalks, garlic cloves, onion, and whatever that pack of fresh herbs is in the produce department. The mixed pack, not the individual packs. Well that might not be Mandy's exact recipe, but that's a good one nonetheless.


I don't add Acv. My husband doesn't like it.


I set my large bowl in the sink and then put my colander in the bowl and pour the whole crockpot contents in and just lift out the colander and shake it off a little to strain.

I don't skim off the fat.


I've been making completely unseasoned broth (from unseasoned roast birds) for the kids. I've hidden it in coconut flour cupcakes and chocolate milk :shifty I also used my blendtec to crush some bones in with unseasoned broth, strawberry flavored coconut kefir and a dribble of honey to make Popsicles. The crushed bones will add extra nutrients (you can also do perpetual broth to the point that the bones just completely dissolve away, or at least I've heard) and the bones also make the texture thicker/creamier. You can use the bones to make a super nutritious homemade ketchup. I think joysworld was making ketchup for her kids from tomato paste and puréed bones and organs and skin. :tu

---------- Post added at 10:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 PM ----------

You can sub broth for water in pretty much any recipe. You can try subbing it for milk but it would just take some playing around with.

I boil the kids peas and carrots in it. I also discovered if I boil one head of cauliflower with a pound of diced turnips in bone broth and then mash it, it's a delicious sub for mashed potatoes. Oh man :shifty now I'm hungry.

---------- Post added at 11:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 PM ----------

Just want to add my kids love the crushed bone brothcicles and eat them almost every day.

[sweetpeasmommy]

I have at least one if not 2 crockpots of broth going at any given time. First i make a 4ish hour meat broth. and then another 4 hour one. This is what i add to squash and and cook carrots in and C looooves his squash with about 50% broth added. I was kind of thinking to change my user name to Squash Soup if i wouldn't have to explain that 50 bazillion times.. Then proceed on to bone broth. I let that go for a day or two, adding in more bones if I have them or just starting a new batch depending on how used up the first bones are. I used to add carrots, garlic etc, but now i just make it plain. I go through more broth than actual chicken meat. :shifty And that's including that a friend saves all her bones for us. I give the bones to the dog but sometimes C asks for bone pate. he made some tonight. he only asks when there is a physical reason his body needs the extra help I guess because detoxing uses a lot of extra minerals. today the pollen was insanely high and he asked for some. which could be why he is faring far better than I am with the pollen.

[PrincessAnika]

:popcorn so I don't lose this thread.....

[jenn3514]

I just throw the bones in with some veggies, ACV, celtic sea salt, and let it simmer 48-72 hours. By then the bones are crumbled, the veggies are mush or not there anymore, and I just strain it. (The dog loves whats left.) I usually have to add a little more water a few times. When the broth is done, it is very concentrated, and can be diluted by half. I try to throw it in everything, eggs, rice, veggies, it's even been in their breakfast cereal and smoothies.
This is what i add to squash and and cook carrots in and C looooves his squash with about 50% broth added.
We do this too. They like carrot soup also.

I go through more broth than actual chicken meat. :yes I found a butcher who sells a 40 pound box of chicken backs. I use those to add to whatever bones I have.

[ncsweetpea]

Wow...and I thought I simmered mine for a long time at 3 hours! :)

[PrincessAnika]

got two packs of bones at the store today. cant wait to get them going :grin

[Stiina]

Good luck!!!

So my crock pot still evaporated quite a bit even with the tin foil. So I alternated it between low and "warm" a few times throughout the day and that seemed to help keep it slowly bubbling rather than a rapid boil. I have had trouble with stuff burning in my crock pot before and I guess now I know why - the "low" setting is quite HOT!!

[LearningMama]

What are bone broth benefits?

[Chaos Coordinator]

Minerals

[melliethepooh]

Gelatin. It's easily digested and helps heal your gut. Wut!

[3boysforme]

What are bone broth benefits?

Like the others said, it is very good for the gut and the minerals are better absorbed than from a supplement.

It is also so flavorful! I love it in mashed potatoes, rice, gravies, all kinds of things. It gives my kids a boost of nutrition and they don't even know it. They can be picky so I like to sneak things in while I can.

[The Tickle Momster]

Good luck!!!

So my crock pot still evaporated quite a bit even with the tin foil. So I alternated it between low and "warm" a few times throughout the day and that seemed to help keep it slowly bubbling rather than a rapid boil. I have had trouble with stuff burning in my crock pot before and I guess now I know why - the "low" setting is quite HOT!!
Yeah, I do the alternate between low and warm thing too.

[pastelsummer]

Oh thank you :cup i wanna do this when i get the power on out here

[Chaos Coordinator]

What's your broth storage method, dear friends? COnsidering setting up a broth cubes system.

[shaslove]

I use the crockpot-I always make my whole chicken in there. I sprinkle the chicken with garlic powder and paprika, cook it on low for 10 hours. Eat the chicken, pick the rest of the chicken off the bones, and add the skin and 5 cups of water. Cook the bones/skin on low (usually overnight) for 10 hours, and then drain the bones off and put it in the fridge. I do skim the fat, but only when I am going to use it-my boss (who is a big canning person) told me the fat is a natural seal.

[3boysforme]

What's your broth storage method, dear friends? COnsidering setting up a broth cubes system.

I put mine in quart size freezer bags and lay them flat in the freezer.

[raining_kisses]

I do the ice cube tray thing so I can add a cube or two to stuff. If I fill all my ice cube trays and still have some left I freeze in ziploc bags.

[Aisling]

If I use a turkey or something I have surplus and freeze in wide mouth jars (no shoulders), but usually, I use it up so fast with the crock pot on warm for several days, I never store. :shifty Sometimes, I put a gigantic jar in the fridge and just add the broth to soups and things for the next 4-5 days. :heart

I skim the tallow off the top after a short stint in the fridge (so much easier, and less broth gets wasted that way), but I generally have one nice cup unskimmed. :shifty With lots of salt. :shifty :yum

The guy who butchers grass fed beef gives people free bones...I have a freezer FULL of beef bones from friends who don't know what to do with theirs or don't want them. :lol :rockon

[The Tickle Momster]

I have done the quart bag method of freezing. This time I'm trying using pint and quart canning jars. I left enough headspace for expansion. I don't skim the fat off. I do use a reusable coffee filter inside my canning funnel to filter out stuff. Way easier than cheesecloth. :rockon

[3boysforme]

I have done the quart bag method of freezing. This time I'm trying using pint and quart canning jars. I left enough headspace for expansion. I don't skim the fat off. I do use a reusable coffee filter inside my canning funnel to filter out stuff. Way easier than cheesecloth. :rockon


You just pour it in the jar and put it in the freezer? Or do you need to process it some more?


I would love to can some, but I know nothing about canning.

[The Tickle Momster]

You just pour it in the jar and put it in the freezer? Or do you need to process it some more?


I would love to can some, but I know nothing about canning.
:yes I don't can them because I don't have a pressure canner, and can't afford one right now. I have the freezer space at the moment so I'm using it. ;)

[Stiina]

I think Shekinah said that she cans hers. I can't remember if she used a pressure canner. I don't know if you would need to. :think But the boiling method might take for.ever.

I use some right away, and then freeze some in ice cube trays. :tu Once it's frozen, you can crack the cubes out and put them into a bigger ziplock bag so that you can use your ice cube tray again.

Coffee filter!!! :jump That is GENIUS!!! I used to use a coffee filter instead of cheese cloth (I h.a.t.e. cheesecloth :shiver) when I made greek yogurt in small batches, but I make a huge batch now so I use a tea towel. I used a tea towel once for straining broth and had to throw it out. Ick ick ick. I totally forgot about using a coffee filter!!! Thanks for the reminder - my world is transformed :giggle

[melliethepooh]

We eat ours too quickly to store any :shifty

[Chaos Coordinator]

How Long is it good for in the fridge?

[lalaithnil]

:cup

[jenn3514]

How Long is it good for in the fridge?

I've been told four days. I've also been told not to skim skim the fat, allowing it to act as a seal. When they are ready to use it, they skim the fat off and use the broth. It is supposed to be good up to a week this way. (I'm still here, so I guess it works.....)

[The Tickle Momster]

Aaand, I just found out there are special canning jars for freezing. :doh Three of mine broke in the freezer. :cry

[EskimoBoston]

:popcorn

Is there any reason why a few of you have mentioned ACV? I never would think to put that in there. I'm not really knowledgable about the benefits of broth. I use the bones from my roasted chickens to make it a lot but I didn't realize it was good for us. Maybe I should make a point to make more and use it more frequently. Usually I use it to make soups or homemade cream of chicken for recipes.

[3boysforme]

Vinegar draws out the nutrients. I think another poster said they use balsamic. I am going to try that on my next batch.

[Chaos Coordinator]

I just made like 2.5 gallons of broth. There's no way we could use all of it in four days :jawdrop

A bunch of my jars broke in the freezer too :doh using ice cubes next time :yes

[EskimoBoston]

Vinegar draws out the nutrients. I think another poster said they use balsamic. I am going to try that on my next batch.

Do you taste it?

[shekinah]

I use white vinegar and don't taste anything strange (and I haaate the taste of vinegar). You don't need to put in much. I use 1/2 cup, and my pot is a large water bath canner, maybe just over half full of bones and liquid. If using a crock pot, I'd probably use 1/8 cup of vinegar for the same ratio?

And a note about actually canning the stock from the discussion above, ya, I use my pressure canner for that. I wouldn't attempt to use a water one, as it wouldn't get hot enough for broth. Vegetables, meat, and soups are all done with pressure canner, whereas fruit is acidic enough to use water when canning it and making jams and all that.

[Stiina]

I use ACV (a glug in my crock pot - maybe 2-3 T) and you can't taste it at all.

thanks for the clarification re: pressure canner, Shekinah!

[crunchymum]

Do you taste it?

:no the acid just helps draw out the minerals.


I freeze mine in gallon ziploc bags. :shifty

[EskimoBoston]

I'll definitely try the vinegar out next time then! :rockon

[3boysforme]

I use ACV (a glug in my crock pot - maybe 2-3 T) and you can't taste it at all.

I was going to say a "sploosh" which to me is about 2 tablespoons :giggle

[melliethepooh]

I put between a glug and a sploosh in :glasses

[easygoinmomma]

:popcorn

[righteous mama]

:cup

[Stiina]

I guffawed at the :glasses , Melinda. :giggle Such a scientific process!!!

OT: DH and I used to have a joke going regarding these sorts of measurements. "A wee bit of a smidge" was a common descriptor, and we'd argue whether a smidgen was bigger than a pinch and what exactly a "sprinkle" was. :giggle

[raining_kisses]

I've been super sick with hand foot and mouth and have had no appetite. I feel a little better and am hungry aain. My first real meal will be bone broth chciken and wild rice soup with organic carrots and celery. And it just started pouring here so soup sounds even better.

[3boysforme]

I've been super sick with hand foot and mouth and have had no appetite. I feel a little better and am hungry aain. My first real meal will be bone broth chciken and wild rice soup with organic carrots and celery. And it just started pouring here so soup sounds even better.

I hope you feel better. That is crazy that you got HFM as an adult!



I am not well today either. I have a horrible cough, that my boss gave me. I took the day off and went to the store and got some beef soup bones! I have my first ever beef broth on the stove right now. I hope it comes out good. I am hoping to make some veggie soup with it tonight. :yum

[Glitterfish]

I have a crock pot full of beef bone randomness bubbling away right now... I started it 2 nights ago and I'm still waiting for the bones to get soft. Do beef bones get soft, so you can mash them w/ a spoon? When I've done chicken the bones get soft after only about 12 hours, but I figured beef would take longer since they're thicker bones.

I'm so excited for my first batch of grass fed beef bone broth (whew, say that 10 times fast!!)! I kept all the bones from steaks, etc until I had a gallon ziploc full in the freezer, and then I had a smallish "soup bone" (it was labeled as such, but it was mostly meat :scratch), so I threw it all in w/ some water, a few bay leaves, a "glug" :giggle of ACV, some peppercorns, some celery leaves, a carrot and an onion. It smells awesome! Except for DH had me put it out in the mudroom to cook last night so he didn't smell it all night :giggle

[3boysforme]

My soup bones were small too. I got some rib bones to add more bone to it. I'm going to take some broth out for my soup tonight and see how long it takes for the bones to get soft.


Just realized I forgot the bay leaf. :doh


Ok. I just tasted some broth. How much salt should I put in it? Cause it's kinda meh tasting, of course I have only had it on for a couple hours.

[Stiina]

I think it just depends. One time my bones were soft after 12 hours but my last batch was going continuously for 5 days and at the end I could still only scrape a little bit out of the inside with a spoon. I got like 1/4tsp of crushed bone goodness and gave up. I put it in a bowl with 4 bananas and a bunch of broth and buttermilk and made DS some popsicles. He loves thenm. :tu

[marigold]

ooh, I hadn't heard about the vinegar drawing out the minerals before, I am definitely trying that next time.
As far as the fat goes I believe that it is good because it helps your body transport and use the minerals, at least if I understand correctly, I could be wrong.

[Dovenoir]

I got 4 lbs of femur, knuckles and neck bones (with meat) from the butcher for $9.

1 gallon of spring water. Added 3 carrots, 1 parsnip, 2 onions, bay, acv, salt and pepper and some parsley.

9 hours later the broth is thin and still flavorless :-/

I know I forgot to roast the bones. But I really WANTED to like this.

Any fixes?

[raining_kisses]

Let it keep going, 9 hours isn't very long in bone broth time. :hug

....says the lady whose first batch of beef broth is going as we speak. :shifty What do I know?:shrug

[lalaithnil]

I got 4 lbs of femur, knuckles and neck bones (with meat) from the butcher for $9.

1 gallon of spring water. Added 3 carrots, 1 parsnip, 2 onions, bay, acv, salt and pepper and some parsley.

9 hours later the broth is thin and still flavorless :-/

I know I forgot to roast the bones. But I really WANTED to like this.

Any fixes?
Crock pot or stove? How hot do you have it? You want it to be simmering . . .
And yes, 9 hours isn't that long, especially if you don't have it quite hot enough. :hug

[crunchymum]

I think roasting makes all the difference in taste. :shifty


I cooked mine on the lowest heat setting on the stove for 2-3 days, iirc. The broth was so rich and flavorful... I would keep it going for awhile longer. But I don't think it gets that rich brown color and rich flavor without roasting. :think

[Glitterfish]

I started mine Wednesday night and strained in Saturday morning, and it was dark brown and rich, although not salty because I don't salt it until I use it. I didn't roast mine first, but some of the bones I saved from grilled steaks, so :shrug

I'd say keep it going for at least another day before trying it again.

[Dovenoir]

Stove, simmering. Bones were raw.

Still trying to decide about leaving the stove on during church tomorrow.

[PrincessAnika]

i've got a batch of perpetual broth going in my crockpot. celery tops, onion, carrot ends, sea salt. decent flavor, going all day yest and today, have taken a few c out and replaced with water so i might have to add more salt. MUST.GET.FREEZER.BAGS. :shifty i wish i could find my stock pot so i could make some soup too....instead of having to wait til my crockpot is empty :giggle

[marigold]

one more question, do you just roast beef bones before simmering or would roasting your chicken bones make your chicken broth more flavourful as well?

[wisdomjourney]

:popcorn I have been curious about this, too!

[melliethepooh]

Normally we roast a chicken and pick the meat off, so the bones are roasted. If you put a whole raw chicken in it will still taste good.

Also, chicken broth is milder tasting than beef broth, so for those who don't like their beef broth, give chicken a try before giving up.

[3boysforme]

Beef bone broth, day 3. It looks really good! It tastes pretty good too. My bones are still hard though, should I keep it going or call it a day?

[Stiina]

I didn't roast my bones and still got nice dark beef broth. I will definitely try that next time, though!!!

I definitely wouldn't want to just drink the beef broth. :no But I know that sipping on chicken broth (like the dregs after chicken soup) is sooooo yummy. :think I haven't had chicken for so long because we don't have our own yet and I can't bear to buy store-chicken. But I reeeeally want to try chicken broth for just drinking plain.

[3boysforme]

I like to drink chicken broth :yes. My beef broth, while it is good...its not something I would drink straight up. I will use it in soups, gravies and such though. I put a big ladle full in my spaghetti sauce to thin it out this morning. :yum

[charla]

I haven't made beef broth yet, just chicken broth, but I'm wondering why you wouldn't drink beef broth. Is it too strong?

[3boysforme]

I think, for me, its just that I have never done beef bone broth before. I tend to need chicken broth in more recipes and the bones are easy to get. So I am used the taste of chicken broth. Beef broth is very different tasting. I am sure I will get used to it ans drink it straight eventually.

[easygoinmomma]

Stiina, have you thought about getting chicken from a Hutterite colony? Or does that bother you too?

[raining_kisses]

My beef broth has been going in the crock pot for two days. It smells....kind of bad. Not like spoiled meat, just....funky. :shifty

[Dovenoir]

Day 3 on the stove. Broth is at least brown now. Bones are still solid.

[3boysforme]

My beef broth has been going in the crock pot for two days. It smells....kind of bad. Not like spoiled meat, just....funky. :shifty



Beef broth from a can or package smells the same way to me. I decided to leave my broth on for one more day. It smells a lot better and has a nice dark color now.

[crunchymum]

Beef bone broth, day 3. It looks really good! It tastes pretty good too. My bones are still hard though, should I keep it going or call it a day?

Mine never got soft, even after 3 days. :shrug

[Stiina]

Good to hear it's not just me that doesn't really like the smell/taste of beef broth. Charla, it's FABULOUS to use in soups etc, but it just doesn't have a nice drinkable taste like chicken broth does. I don't really know what it is. Maybe you're right that it has a stronger flavour, but I'm not quite sure how to describe it,

Now I'm totally craving chicken soup.

Norma - :hug good suggestion but no, I couldn't buy a chicken from a Hutterite either. They're still factory farmed, even though it's not necessarily mainstream. :( I gotta have pastured poultry!!

[melliethepooh]

French onion soup is about as close as I can get to eating straight beef broth.

[shekinah]

Oh man, I love beef broth. I season it a bit with parsley, rosemary, pepper, and oregano, and add salt. Is that why?

[charla]

Oh man, I love beef broth. I season it a bit with parsley, rosemary, pepper, and oregano, and add salt. Is that why?

Oh my stars, that sounds divine. :yum

[Glitterfish]

So my beef broth simmered in the crock pot from Wednesday night until Saturday morning, and the bones were JUST starting to get soft. The broth was really concentrated too, which was nice because I ended up w/ enough to make a HUGE pot of beef veggie rice soup and about 3 ice cube trays full too :thumbsup I put some of the bones in the blender w/ a bit of broth and blended them smooth so I can add it to frozen popsicles (once I actually get a popsicle maker :doh any recommendations of good BPA free ones?) and I gave the harder bones to the dog.

DH's grandfather is butchering his 2 beef cows in October, and we're getting 1/4 of one! It's not cheap or easy to find pastured beef around here, so I can't wait... I'm hoping maybe the butcher can throw in some extra bones if everyone else doesn't want them!

[shaslove]

My DH "discovered" why I do broth. He keeps drinking it. LOL.

[Stiina]

Those spices sound great, Shekinah - i've just been putting onion and garlic and bay leaf.

oooh shaslove I'm impressed that you remembered to remove your siggy. I almost typed your name but realized you probably wouldn't want me to. :giggle I never remember to remove mine on a public forum. :whistle anyhoooooo.....that's funny about your husband. tell him his guts are happy, too. :hug

[raining_kisses]

Look at me go incognito :shifty

So I ruined a batch of bone broth last week by putting in carrot greens. I thought I read some where that others did it....but it just made the darkest green, bitter, greasy mess. I was just starting to get sick and I can still close my eyes and still smell the smell when I took the lid off. :sick I am sort of afraid to put anything else in now. I've only ever done apple cider vineger and water. I season after wards when I make my soup, and leave my ice cub tray broth unseasoned and just cook with it.

[3boysforme]

Why is everyone removing their siggy's? :shifty



Um, yea I think carrot greens would not be very good. Maybe added after like right before you are going to eat it? We do that with napa cabbage in chicken broth but if you let it sit too long it turns the broth green.

[shaslove]

Why is everyone removing their siggy's? :shifty



Um, yea I think carrot greens would not be very good. Maybe added after like right before you are going to eat it? We do that with napa cabbage in chicken broth but if you let it sit too long it turns the broth green.

I do because its a public forum. I can PM you if you want to know more than that :heart

---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:04 PM ----------

Those spices sound great, Shekinah - i've just been putting onion and garlic and bay leaf.

oooh shaslove I'm impressed that you remembered to remove your siggy. I almost typed your name but realized you probably wouldn't want me to. :giggle I never remember to remove mine on a public forum. :whistle anyhoooooo.....that's funny about your husband. tell him his guts are happy, too. :hug

He keeps drinking it when he is sick...so I think his guts know LOL.

[raining_kisses]

I just removed it to be silly. :giggle

[lalaithnil]

I made chicken bone broth this past week, simmered in the crock pot for 3 days - chicken bones and skin, carrots, onion, garlic, salt, ACV. I added water each day, about a cup, to make up for what had steamed out. Sunday I strained it and used half broth, half water to make a stew of chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and spices like red pepper and black pepper, and some salt.
OMW I could not believe the difference the bone broth made. Everything else I used for the stew I've cooked many times before, but just used canned broth or water, and we've always enjoyed it. This time, DH and DD can't stop raving about it. :rockon B drank the broth in her bowl with a straw and picked out the other foods with her hands. She even ate the potatoes (said she liked the "black part of the tomatoes", meaning the potato skins :giggle), and she doesn't typically like potatoes. I'm thrilled and can't wait to find a source for beef bones! Local supermarket was no help. :( We are a beef eating family - Bella says her fave foods are broccoli and steak :shifty - so I know we'll get good use from the beef broth. And I have 3 gallon bags of broth cubes in the freezer from the chicken. :rockon

[charla]

I put roasted chicken on our menu this week so I can make broth later this week. :)

[Castle On A Cloud]

I make chicken stock (perpetual in the crock pot) all the time... but I mostly used it in sauces and stuff like that... Today I pulled some out of the crockpot to make chicken soup. And now i have all my chicken and veggies in the soup, and it tastes like greasy water:/ i dont know what is going on here:/ There is a bunch of spices, and it just does not taste good:-/

[Stiina]

Salt! More salt!!! Lots and LOTS of salt!!!!!

[Castle On A Cloud]

ok, like HOW much salt??? There is about 8 cups of broth, several cups of chicken. 2 onions, a bunch of carrots and celery, and two types of spice mixes, a head of garlic. and I think I might have 1/4 c of salt, at LEAST...

[raining_kisses]

How long had the broth been going?

[Castle On A Cloud]

sometime yestarday... you know. i was skimmimg spoonfulls off the top... when i used a ladle to serve the kids, and pulled from the bottom, the taste was insanely different... in a super awesome way:giggle there is some coconut oil in there ( we roasted chickens with coc. oil and used the body and the drippings...) so i think it might be that it was floating to the top???

[Ajani]

I pulled a turkey drumstick out of the freezer this morning and plopped it into a stockpot with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf & peppercorns. Reading this, I think I'll skim off what we need and then replace the water and let it go again.

Looking forward to roasting a capon for Thanksgiving in a few weeks and making broth with the carcass. I've also done it with chicken that I've smoked on the grill. Wow, was that good broth!

[Dovenoir]

I pulled a turkey drumstick out of the freezer this morning and plopped it into a stockpot with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf & peppercorns. Reading this, I think I'll skim off what we need and then replace the water and let it go again.

Looking forward to roasting a capon for Thanksgiving in a few weeks and making broth with the carcass. I've also done it with chicken that I've smoked on the grill. Wow, was that good broth!

What size pot/amount of water?

[Ajani]

Um... not sure. Not huge. 12qt, tops. Maybe 8. I don't do huge batches.

[charla]

It's been quite awhile since I've made chicken stock. Does this sound right?

1 chicken carcass with meat on the bones
10-12 cups filtered water
2-3 carrots
2 ribs celery
1/2 small onion
1 smashed clove of garlic
handful of peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of rosemary
sprinkling of sea salt
glug of white wine vinegar

It's in the crockpot on high and I'll turn it down to low once it starts to bubble. I hope to use some on Saturday for chicken and noodles with dumplings. Do you think that will work? Then do I add more water to take the place of what I remove on Saturday? How many more days should I let it go?

[shaslove]

I do not add anything to mine. My chicken cooked with salt and pepper and I just add water :shrug

[Glitterfish]

I do not add anything to mine. My chicken cooked with salt and pepper and I just add water :shrug

If I know I'll be using the broth for soup, I'll season it accordingly when making the broth. If I'm not sure what I'll be using it for, I'll do it plain like that. I always add a glug of ACV to help draw out the minerals in the bones though.

[charla]

Oh my stars, that chicken broth is so delicious. I used it tonight for chicken noodle and dumpling soup. My kids loved it so that's a huge plus. It had to be salted quite a bit like Stiina said. I used almost all the broth in the crockpot so I added a bunch more water and am going to try to get more out of it. Is it really going to work the second time with the same chicken carcass? :nails

[raining_kisses]

It does take a lot of salt, but think about the amount of sodium that canned soup has and it makes you feel better.

I made chicken tortilla soup with chicken bone broth tonight. HUGE hit. Bone broth makes everything better.

My fb status from this morning is
The moment when you wake up and think "whats that smell!!??" only to realize you have bone broth going in the crock pot.

:giggle It gets me every time.

[Stiina]

ohmigosh YES!!! I'm always in a half-panic when I come in from outside/wake up in the morning. :giggle

Totally agree that it makeseverything taste better. I made a normal old "must-go" goulash in the skillet the other night, cooked with bone broth throughout the process. WAYYYYYYYYYY better than usual.

Ok my current batch is hilarious. I pretty much filled my crock with bones because they were all frozen together....there wasn't a ton of water in it so the broth was pretty concentrated. I pulled out my first quart yesterday and put it in the fridge - I went to use it today and it's Beef Jello. :roll Ok, yes, now I believe you that gelatin comes from animals. WOW. Totally cool!!!!!

---------- Post added at 09:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 PM ----------

Charla - yes, it will work :hug Good luck!!!!

[lalaithnil]

I've been heating a few cubes of frozen, concentrated chicken broth and water for Bella and me to drink with breakfast! She downs a cupful with her oatmeal. :yum

[Glitterfish]

Oh my stars, that chicken broth is so delicious. I used it tonight for chicken noodle and dumpling soup. My kids loved it so that's a huge plus. It had to be salted quite a bit like Stiina said. I used almost all the broth in the crockpot so I added a bunch more water and am going to try to get more out of it. Is it really going to work the second time with the same chicken carcass? :nails

I've done it. The 2nd time around, IME, has a darker color and a bit of a different taste. Less fat, of course too.

[3boysforme]

I made a really yummy chicken broth the other day, let it simmer for 3 days. I unplugged the crockpot yesterday to let it cool, and totally forgot about it until this morning :hissyfit

[Dovenoir]

I made a really yummy chicken broth the other day, let it simmer for 3 days. I unplugged the crockpot yesterday to let it cool, and totally forgot about it until this morning :hissyfit

I'd boil it for 20 minutes and call it done. But that's me.

[Stiina]

I'd use it too. :)

[Glitterfish]

I'd use it too. :)

:yes Me too! Give it a quick boil and call it good.

[3boysforme]

Well, see I didn't realize I forgot to refrigerate it until I was walking out the door this morning. And I was already running late. So its still sitting on my counter :bag

[Glitterfish]

So how many hours will it be turned off/sitting out total? I wouldn't count the first few hours anyway, because it's still pretty hot :think

[3boysforme]

Almost 24 :shifty

[AngelaVA]

So if you pressure can it, it's shelf stable?? For how long? Interesting, I made a big batch of chicken broth and another of beef broth this week and my freezer is very full. We eat a lot of broth but I don't like perpetual broth because I don't like my house smelling like broth all the time. I noticed Kerry Ann on Cooking Traditional Foods uses a roaster instead of a crock pot, I was considering trying to get one of those. I can do a small batch of beef broth in the crock pot but chicken broth we go through too fast so I use a stock pot on the stove. It requires a lot of babysitting that way which I don't love.

[Glitterfish]

Maybe boil it 30 minutes instead of 20 :giggle

Honestly I'd probably still use it. But I'm a dirty hippie, so take what I say w/ a grain of Celtic sea salt :giggle

[crunchymum]

I'm so proud. I made my very own chili recipe yesterday, and used my bone broth! :woohoo


This batch of broth I cooked for much longer than last time, and it was really different... More chalky and bone-y tasting? Is that normal? Last time it was dark and rich tasting... It also didn't gel up quite the same in the fridge as my last batch. :think

[Dovenoir]

5 minutes is the standard for boiling dirty drinking water. I'd go longer just to destroy the cells of anything in that was growing in it.

[lalaithnil]

My beef bone broth simmered for 3 days with peppers, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, acv, and salt was marvelous. I added it to beef stew and we're all just really loving it. DH and I are amazed at the difference in taste, compared to the exact same stew I've made a million times without the broth. :rockon
Tonight I made noodles and sauce and used the frozen chicken broth instead of water. Another win, and it added tons of protein that wouldn't have been there otherwise. :rockon
I'm so happy to have found this thread and given this a shot!
ETA: I also had a big win at Kroger. I never shop there, but couldn't find any organic meat anywhere, and we couldn't get to the farm, so I popped in and found 3 whole organic free range chickens marked down from $10 each to around $6, because the date was going to be up soon. :rolleyes. They're fresh, so I brought them home and popped them in the freezer, where they'll keep for a good long while. :rockon

[raining_kisses]

I totally agree about the difference in taste. I LOVE bone broth. :heart :heart :heart

:highfive on the chicken score!!

[Stiina]

The perpetual broth I have going now staaaaaanks. :sick It's gross. It still tastes fine *in* stuff, but my house smells so gross. I just have it going plain. I'm going to add spices and veggies now; hopefully my house will smell like soup instead of warm meat :s

[lalaithnil]

Yeah, I wasn't at all enjoying the beef broth smell! :sick It tasted fabulous though, and the chicken broth smells better. :rockon Still, I think after this batch of chicken is done, I'll bake some bread and brownies to resmellify the house.
Yes, that's a word. I just made it up. :shifty

[Glitterfish]

I have to make broth in my crockpot in the mudroom, with the door closed, for that very reason. I get so tired of the smell!

[Stiina]

resmellify :yes I like it!

[LearningMama]

I bought a stock pot today. I have a chicken thawed out in the fridge. :nails
I plan on roasting the chicken this weekend and starting the broth soon after.

[LearningMama]

The chicken is roasting inthe oven. I hope it turns out ok. Can I save the dripings for the broth?

[3boysforme]

Are you eating the chicken tonight? I would use the drippings to make gravy.

[LearningMama]

Are you eating the chicken tonight? I would use the drippings to make gravy.

I thought of making gravy, but I'm trying to avoid flour.

[Stiina]

cornstarch! :)

[3boysforme]

Are you completely grain free? I use rice flour or cornstarch. And my kids are getting used to thinner gravies :shifty

[LearningMama]

Yes we are grain free (although you guys are really tempting me ;)

[melliethepooh]

Drippings make great broth :tu that's where you'll get a lot of the gelatin.

You guys, I used boxed broth the other day when I ran out of bone broth. I added gelatin to it, then when I pulled my soup out of the fridge I was like :jawdrop the boxed broth gelled! :roll oops

[Chaos Coordinator]

The perpetual broth I have going now staaaaaanks. :sick It's gross. It still tastes fine *in* stuff, but my house smells so gross. I just have it going plain. I'm going to add spices and veggies now; hopefully my house will smell like soup instead of warm meat :s


oh my gosh yes. the last batch i made (overnight last night) my whole house was stinky like warm meat. i make mine completely unseasoned so that i can sneak it into the kids stuff without their chocolate milk tasting garlicky :shifty

i did make a crock of beans today in 100% broth and they are so good i think i want to only eat these all winter :shifty its the best comfort food i've probably ever had ever.

---------- Post added at 05:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:24 PM ----------

yesterday i dry roasted a chicken in my crock pot, then pulled all the meat off of it and poured the drippings off into a mason jar into the fridge (after i cooked some peas in it for the kids - i save the liquid when i boil veggies, sometimes i just add it back to whatever broth is in the fridge and sometimes i keep it separate depending on how i plan to use it)

then i added the chicken bones back to the crock with water and cooked on low for about sixteen hours, strained out the bones from the broth, put the bones and the broth in the fridge minus three cups of broth for the beans. added the three cups plus the half pound of beans back to the crock, turned it to high and let it cook for about five hours, adding LOTS of sea salt and garlic powder about halfway between (i prefer unadulterated garlic, but if i want my husband to eat them, there can't be anything suspicious looking in it, then again as delicious as they are, i'm not too keen on sharing anyway) then when it was done cooking, i melted a stick of butter into it, and when i dished it up, i filled the bowl about halfway with chunks of yesterday's chicken, then beans, then more salt, and stirred it up. its like little bits of heaven in my mouth.

tonight i will be making another round of broth with the same bones. i bought some ice cube trays too and i'm super excited about having broth cubes at my disposal!


also, you guys, salt is a mineral and is good for you. our bodies need it. especially it helps with healing adrenal fatigue. if it tastes good to you, its because your body needs it (in this case anyway ;)) so add as much as you need to, just make sure its unadulterated salt such as pink himalayan or grey celtic salt!

[crunchymum]

I thought of making gravy, but I'm trying to avoid flour.

I use arrowroot for gravy, and it turns out great. :tu

[NeshamaMama]

I use arrowroot for gravy too! I use a tiny little 2" mesh sieve with a handle to dust it in so I don't have to stir it for an hour to get the lumps out. :giggle

So I'm cooking a chicken tomorrow and will make broth overnight like usual. If, the next day, I want to use 3 c. of broth in that night's dinner, I can just take it out of the pot in the morning, add another 3 c. of water and keep simmering? Is that the idea of the perpetual broth?

[lalaithnil]

oh my gosh yes. the last batch i made (overnight last night) my whole house was stinky like warm meat. i make mine completely unseasoned so that i can sneak it into the kids stuff without their chocolate milk tasting garlicky :shifty

i did make a crock of beans today in 100% broth and they are so good i think i want to only eat these all winter :shifty its the best comfort food i've probably ever had ever.

---------- Post added at 05:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:24 PM ----------

yesterday i dry roasted a chicken in my crock pot, then pulled all the meat off of it and poured the drippings off into a mason jar into the fridge (after i cooked some peas in it for the kids - i save the liquid when i boil veggies, sometimes i just add it back to whatever broth is in the fridge and sometimes i keep it separate depending on how i plan to use it)

then i added the chicken bones back to the crock with water and cooked on low for about sixteen hours, strained out the bones from the broth, put the bones and the broth in the fridge minus three cups of broth for the beans. added the three cups plus the half pound of beans back to the crock, turned it to high and let it cook for about five hours, adding LOTS of sea salt and garlic powder about halfway between (i prefer unadulterated garlic, but if i want my husband to eat them, there can't be anything suspicious looking in it, then again as delicious as they are, i'm not too keen on sharing anyway) then when it was done cooking, i melted a stick of butter into it, and when i dished it up, i filled the bowl about halfway with chunks of yesterday's chicken, then beans, then more salt, and stirred it up. its like little bits of heaven in my mouth.

tonight i will be making another round of broth with the same bones. i bought some ice cube trays too and i'm super excited about having broth cubes at my disposal!


also, you guys, salt is a mineral and is good for you. our bodies need it. especially it helps with healing adrenal fatigue. if it tastes good to you, its because your body needs it (in this case anyway ;)) so add as much as you need to, just make sure its unadulterated salt such as pink himalayan or grey celtic salt!
Elaborate on the beans in the crock for me? Did you soak them first or anything, or just rinse them and throw them in the crock with the broth? How much of each?
I'm not an experienced bean cooker, but this sounds yummy!

[3boysforme]

Elaborate on the beans in the crock for me? Did you soak them first or anything, or just rinse them and throw them in the crock with the broth? How much of each?
I'm not an experienced bean cooker, but this sounds yummy!

Yea I want to know about the beans too. What kind are you using?


The only way I know to cook beans is Southerfied and it is not healthy in any kind of way. :shifty


I made Salisbury steak and "gravy" with some beef broth, oh my stars it was yummy. :yum

[Chaos Coordinator]

they were navy beans (gaps legal :tu)

i soak them overnight.


i like to soak the beans overnight, then put them in the crock pot after church and they're done for dinner.

i've been doing half a pound of beans to 3 cups of broth. i think i'm going to up to 1 lb of beans and six cups of broth though because we are kinda on a beans and rice budget, without the rice. so, in other words, i'm going ot be offering beans at every meal.

brb with more.

[crunchymum]

I use arrowroot for gravy too! I use a tiny little 2" mesh sieve with a handle to dust it in so I don't have to stir it for an hour to get the lumps out. :giggle



:giggle the trick is to mix it with cold water or broth first, and then slowly pour it into the rest. ;)

[Chaos Coordinator]

Okay, in an ideal world I season my beans with half an onion and several garlic cloves. Just throw them in. They disintegrate for the most part. If it really bothered you, you could obliterate them first or use powdered versions instead. And I add sea salt and sometimes black pepper.


Sometimes I'll cook the beans with a whole jalapeño and equal parts chili powder and ground cumin and then serve with taco meat.

If you get tired of the beans before they're gone, mash them to make bean dip or put on tacos/burritos.


Beans are like 60 cents a pound. Beans are your friend. :yes

[3boysforme]

Joy are you using beef or chicken broth? Or whatever you have at the time?



I think I will try this next week.

[Chaos Coordinator]

Either would work. I've never made beef broth, just chicken and turkey.

The other night I served mashed beans with hunks of steak mixed in. :yum it was a good way to split a steak three ways, still get my steak medicine in, and it was very filling!

[LearningMama]

My chicken is done, partly eaten, and cut. :tu Now I have a chicken carcass. How much meat and such do I need to get off the carcass and bones? Do they need to be completely clean?

[Chaos Coordinator]

nah.

i just get off as much as i feel like digging through. i didn't even bother with the ribs or wings this go round. tons of work, yields very little meat...no thanks.

[StumblinMama]

I quit soaking my beans. I thought I was the only one crazy enough to do that, but I read (here maybe?) that lots of people make beans without soaking. I made a pot of red beans in the crock pot the other day. I covered with water, tossed in about half a head of garlic and cooked on high for 6 hours. They were perfect-soft but not cooked to mush.

I'll have to try it with the broth :yum

[Chaos Coordinator]

soaking the beans removes the phytates. or something.

[lalaithnil]

soaking the beans removes the phytates. or something.
Yeah, it's supposed to make them less farty, I believe. :shifty

[Chaos Coordinator]

it makes them easier to digest :giggle important when you're on GAPS trying to heal your belly.

[sweetpeasmommy]

For grain free gravy you can blend cauliflower, carrots whatever you have on hand and use that to thicken a reduced broth. Or you can just cook down your broth a lot.

[shekinah]

For grain free gravy you can blend cauliflower, carrots whatever you have on hand and use that to thicken a reduced broth. Or you can just cook down your broth a lot.
Ohhh that is interesting. Is arrowroot considered a grain? That's what I use for gravies, and it makes it really thick with no added taste. I will have to try some mashed carrots. That sounds delicious!

[LearningMama]

So I'm in my kitchen feeling pretty proud of myself. I roasted a chicken last night that turned out great and now I have the bones and veggies on the stove making broth. I also have kombucha underneath my kitchen sink. Then it came to me, the prefect name for a cooking show (if it hasn't already been used).

:idea
Cooking it Old School

carry on....:giggle

[raining_kisses]

So I'm in my kitchen feeling pretty proud of myself. I roasted a chicken last night that turned out great and now I have the bones and veggies on the stove making broth. I also have kombucha underneath my kitchen sink. Then it came to me, the prefect name for a cooking show (if it hasn't already been used).

:idea
Cooking it Old School

carry on....:giggle

I need this on a bumper sticker or tshirt. :yes :roll

I made my first 3 day broth perpetual style. It is SOOO dark brown and rich looking. I'm going to make chicken and dumplings out of it. :drool

[Stiina]

LOVE that cooking show name!!!!! :tu :highfive

My perpetual broth has been going for like 8 days. It's still SOOOO dark. Wow. I'm kind of sick of it being on my counter but I can't let it go to waste!!!! I already have three big ziplocks full of cubes, though!!!

---------- Post added at 12:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:58 AM ----------

I looked at my past posts on this thread and it's actually been 10 days. :jawdrop

[shaslove]

So its good if its brown...LOL. I have two glass quarts in my fridge of brown broth.

[lalaithnil]

OK Cate, I NEED your chicken and dumplings recipe! You can't say "chicken and dumplings" to a pregnant woman and then not give her any! :hissyfit
:giggle

[crunchymum]

Ohhh that is interesting. Is arrowroot considered a grain? That's what I use for gravies, and it makes it really thick with no added taste. I will have to try some mashed carrots. That sounds delicious!

:no not a grain, it's the starchy root of a plant. :) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrowroot#section_3

Get it from a good source, though, so you don't get potato starch mixed in with it.

[charla]

I used the second batch of broth for chicken pot pie soup. It was much darker and absolutely delicious. I had to dilute it one to one. I then added more water to the crockpot for the bone broth to have some to put in the freezer. I barely had enough to fill one ice cube tray. Is that normal for it to reduce that much? Did I do something wrong? I'm guessing that broth is really concentrated.

I want to make more broth, but I don't have any more chickens on hand. Must go to the store. I'm totally hooked. :grin

[raining_kisses]

OK Cate, I NEED your chicken and dumplings recipe! You can't say "chicken and dumplings" to a pregnant woman and then not give her any! :hissyfit
:giggle

I use canned pillsbury bisquits. :bag

[3boysforme]

I used the second batch of broth for chicken pot pie soup. It was much darker and absolutely delicious. I had to dilute it one to one. I then added more water to the crockpot for the bone broth to have some to put in the freezer. I barely had enough to fill one ice cube tray. Is that normal for it to reduce that much? Did I do something wrong? I'm guessing that broth is really concentrated.

I want to make more broth, but I don't have any more chickens on hand. Must go to the store. I'm totally hooked. :grin

Tell me more about the chicken pot pie soup :cup

My Salisbury steak is a huge hit. My kids tore it up and proclaimed it the best rice ans gravy ever. :tu

[charla]

Tell me more about the chicken pot pie soup :cup


It's a Rachael Ray recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-mug-pie-recipe/index.html My kids love it. I use cubed hashbrowns for more substance. Par-cooked cubed potatoes would work, too.

[lalaithnil]

I use canned pillsbury bisquits. :bag
Sounds perfect right now! Easy is good! :yes

[raining_kisses]

Arrrgh, I just typed up the whole thing and lost it. :doh Let me try again....

Put your bone broth in a big pot. Not sure how much, depends on how big a batch you want to make. Season with salt, pepper, a little garlic powder and onion powder. Bring to boil. Take your refrigerator biscuits (one can or two, depends on how big your batch is. Also, you want to look for original or home style, not flaky layers, butter tastin', etc.) and tear the biscuits into about 10 pieces each and throw them in the boiling broth. Stir after every biscuit. Add in peeled diced russet potato (1 or 2, depends on batch size) (I know potatoes aren't usually in chicken and dumplings, but that's how my dad always made it and that's how I love it now). Turn it down to medium and cook until potatoes are tender and the dumplings have sunk. They will burn to the bottem so stir often. Add diced chicken back in. This is the kind of meal that is better the second day, so I cook it the day before and try to keep everyone out of it until the next day. It gets such a thick creamy gravy the next day from the starch from the potatoes. The bone broth made it amazing, the gravy was pretty thick the first day!! :tu

I hope I explained that okay, I'll clarify if need be. :hug

[LearningMama]

Broth is done, I let the broth cook for 30hrs. It's going to cool and then go into the fridge so I can skim and save the fat for cooking. I'm worried I won't like it because it doesn't smell good :nails
Can I do anything with the leftover carrots and onions?

---------- Post added at 06:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:39 PM ----------

I looked it up and google says I'm supposed to let it cool in the fridge.

[NeshamaMama]

Oh, I just remembered the funniest story that is totally appropriate for this thread! (You know you're Cooking it Old School when... you have funny stories about bone broth :shifty) :lol

Okay, so I made some gravy out of a batch of awesome bone broth once and had too much for one meal so I stuck half in a Pyrex in the freezer. (Relevant info: my DH takes leftovers to work every day for lunch.) About a month later DH came home from work and said, "Yeah, there wasn't any dinner leftover for my lunch today so I took some something out of the freezer. I'm not sure what it was, but it was so good!"

I looked in the freezer to see what was missing and sure enough... my DH had eaten a huge bowl of nothing but bone broth gravy for lunch. :haha

[raining_kisses]

I bet it totally filled him up too. That stuff is so filling.

:roll

[Stiina]

That is awesome!!!!

celeste - I wouldn't worry too much about all of that cooling business. I forget my broth out on the counter for half the day or overnight before I put the lid on and put it in the fridge. :shrug :) Just go with the flow :)

[lalaithnil]

:roll

[JenLovie]

I just placed (hopefully not too late) an order with a farm for some grass-fed beef and added a couple of pounds of bones for broth. :yum I'm stoked! :dance

[lalaithnil]

I just placed (hopefully not too late) an order with a farm for some grass-fed beef and added a couple of pounds of bones for broth. :yum I'm stoked! :dance
:rockon :rockon :rockon

[3boysforme]

I just placed (hopefully not too late) an order with a farm for some grass-fed beef and added a couple of pounds of bones for broth. :yum I'm stoked! :dance

I am slightly jealous of you right now!



My peanut was up all night throwing up. I made him some homemade Gatorade and got some chicken wings on the stove for some soup later.

[JenLovie]

I am slightly jealous of you right now!



My peanut was up all night throwing up. I made him some homemade Gatorade and got some chicken wings on the stove for some soup later.

I might have gotten my order in too late, but I really hope not. I'm waiting for a billing email or call to confirm my order.
I hope the Gatorade and broth help him feel better ASAP!

[Stiina]

Good for you, Jen!!!! Is it your first time?
I'm always so proud and happy when people buy beef from the rancher. Spread the love!

[JenLovie]

We participated in a coop last year but it was a major disappointment (due to he way the coop was ran). I've heard fabulous things about this farm. I'm hoping I didn't miss their order deadline.

[Stiina]

My perpetual broth is finally done for after 11 days. :giggle

So I took the bones out and was able to scrape quite a bit of marrow out. Someone with a vitamix/blendtec...I hope you make beef broth soon and try to blend the bones. I'm curious if it would work. Mine were still quite hard afterwards, although one of the thinner ones broke right up :rockon I smashed the chunks as much as I could with a spoon and then added a bit of milk and some broth and used my hand blender to smooth it out. I froze 6 cubes of it and used the dregs from blending to make banana/pear/buttermilk popsicles. I'm usually reluctant to try things that I know I've hidden things in :giggle but I stuck my finger in it and you could honestly not even tell there was bones in it, or buttermilk (which I also hate). Next time I'll try more bones and unflavoured broth. :rockon

Then I used some broth and cooked carrots/spinach/lima beans (an accidental purchase by my dh :giggle) in it and then used my hand blender to make gravy. YUM!!!!!!! Thabks for that tip. It is fantastic!!!!!!

[NeshamaMama]

Okay, so I made broth on my stovetop like usual last night. This morning at some point I took out the 3 c. I needed for dinner tonight, put it in the fridge, and then added 3 c. water to the pot and let it keep simmering. I had to take it off the stove after about 19 hrs. total though, because I needed that burner. :doh

So I strained the broth and packed it up but saved the bones and I'm wondering if I can "re-use" them in my crockpot since I didn't get to do the perpetual broth like I was hoping?

[Dovenoir]

So I strained the broth and packed it up but saved the bones and I'm wondering if I can "re-use" them in my crockpot since I didn't get to do the perpetual broth like I was hoping?

I put my beef bones back in the freezer after 72 hours on the stove. I just plan on getting a new bone and some meat to add to the next batch so it doesn't taste weak.

[Glitterfish]

I put my beef bones back in the freezer after 72 hours on the stove. I just plan on getting a new bone and some meat to add to the next batch so it doesn't taste weak.

That's what I was thinking too :yes I feel like I'm wasting the beef bones if they don't cook until they're soft :giggle

[Stiina]

Ok, *how* soft are you guys talking? Mine cooked for ELEVEN DAYS and they were still not something I would consider soft. :no

[Glitterfish]

Soft in that they still hold their form, but can be crushed w/ the back of a spoon. Brittle might be a better term? Only some of mine got that soft, and they were probably the bones that I saved from crock pot meals (so they already had had a full day in the crockpot before going in for broth). I gave the harder ones to the dog, and she was able to eat them in a minute, so they were definitely softer than a regular cooked bone.

If you ever do a chicken, their bones get soft in 24 hours or less. Once, I strained off the broth and put the bones in the blender w/ a little broth because I thought that's what you're supposed to do. I tried adding some of the resulting sludge to soups, etc. and it was gross. Way too gritty :sick

[Stiina]

I'm baffled why mine never got soft like that, I dug out the marrow and smashed THAT up with the back of a spoon...man!!

Ps the sludge is good in popsicles :tu

[Glitterfish]

I'm baffled why mine never got soft like that, I dug out the marrow and smashed THAT up with the back of a spoon...man!!

Ps the sludge is good in popsicles :tu

Not this sludge :shiver I'm telling you, it was NASTY! I saved some blended bones from my last batch of beef broth for popsicles.... now I just need to get some popsicle molds :doh

[Chaos Coordinator]

Yay for brothcicles! I always imagine little caped broth crusaders swooping in to repair my kids damaged cells immediately.


I don't eat them myself though :shifty

[WingsOfTheMorning]

So how do you make this bone ketchup cause DD1 is in a serious ketchup phase? :shifty

[Chaos Coordinator]

Try googling "GAPS ketchup" I've even seen people talk about fermenting it. Wow how great for your gut health! I'm so not a ketchup person though.

[Stiina]

GASP KETCHUP! YES I need to make ketchup!!!! I was going to use the recipe that is in my mom's old cookbook, but if there's a fermented one? sign me UP. Pip eats ketchup on everything and it makes me SO irritated :S

---------- Post added at 05:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 PM ----------

how about this one? http://nourishedandnurtured.blogspot.ca/2011/09/my-familys-favorite-homemade-ketchup.html

I was going to use garden tomatoes, so I guess I could cook them down into a paste first and then follow this recipe.

The recipe I looked at in my mom's cookbook included boiling the vinegar with the spices in a cheese cloth, mixing it with tomatoes and then boiling to reduce. It seemed easy enough.

I like that this one has whey in it, though, and that it's fermented. I wonder if you could just add the crushed bones to it. :think Would they notice?

---------- Post added at 05:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:27 PM ----------

http://ournourishingroots.com/real-food-101-how-to-make-lacto-fermented-ketchup/#

Similar but explained better :) I'm going to do this one. yipee!

[Dovenoir]

Yay for brothcicles! I always imagine little caped broth crusaders swooping in to repair my kids damaged cells immediately.


I don't eat them myself though :shifty

Been wanting to poke you for a while. Are you doing beef/chicken for your broth? How the heck do you get the bones to sludge? What ones are you using?

I got a quartered femur and hip joint and some neck bones from a cow... and they're solid as rock after 7 days on simmer/boil. I gave up and bagged them.

2 Chicken carcasses and a bunch of wing tips- still solid after 4 days on simmer.

What am I doing wrong? :scratch

[Stiina]

For my beef bones, I had to dig the marrow out from inside the bone with a strong spoon. I don't know how anyone gets soft beef bones either. :scratch I mean, seriously, ELEVEN DAYS in the crock pot and mine were still very very hard. :doh

[Barefoot]

I went to the butcher the same day as finding this thread, and luckily for me, I live in an area that a lot of hippies frequent for their shopping. So the butcher had grass fed beef bones.

They are currently in my slow cooker with an onion, some carrots, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns and a glug of brown vinegar (we dont have ACV, I hope that is OK)

They have been there for 24 hours so far and I have been very good not to lift the lid.

DS has a nasty cough this afternoon and I am wondering if I should give him some? Is it good enough yet?

How much longer will it need to cook for?

[Stiina]

it'll be good now :yes I hope your son likes it!! :yum
Any vinegar is fine :yes
You can cook it and pull out a quart every day (straining it through a coffee filter). When it starts getting paler, it's time to stop. :yes

[lalaithnil]

Barefoot - :pray4 your DS feels better soon! I'd for sure give him lots of broth. :yes

I felt terrible yesterday and slept and slept and slept, and needed to drink something, so I heated up some chicken bone broth. I felt SOOOO much better afterward and then slept almost all night long! :rockon That hasn't happened for months!

Bone broth is a miracle food! I need to start drinking it daily, and make sure I have TONS stored up for after baby girl is born.

[charla]

Does the broth have to be strained? I just ladled out what I wanted without straining it at all. I didn't strain any of it through a coffee filter even at the end, just used my regular pasta strainer.

[WildFlower]

I have a dumb question. Do youh ave to use grassfed or organic beef/poultry bones? Or could i use a rotisserie chicken from walmart? I know grassfed or organic is healthier. But I can't find any. I am wondering if using a regular chicken carcas would be dangerous, like would nasty hormones or something come out of their bones or anything dangerous? Or would it be the same as the mean? Like if I am ok eating the meat the bones aren't going to be worse? :blush

[Stiina]

Don't strain it if there's nothing chunky in it. :giggle I like to strain mine cause there's always little chunks of meat and bay leaf etc, in it.

Wildflower - from my knowledge the bones of conventional chicken are going to be fine. Sure, grassfed etc. is better (*ahem* see my signature :giggle - I am very passionate about it) but conventional meat isn't going to kill you. :no

[Barefoot]

Thank you.

[3boysforme]

Y'all. I made a gumbo with my chicken broth..oh my goodness. It was so so good. The flavor was so deep. :yum

I have really not liked gumbo since going GF. Rice flour doesn't make the best roux, but adding the broth made it much better.

[raining_kisses]

I made chicken and dumpling with THREE day bone broth today, and by the time it cooled it was solid. :jawdrop If I could slide it out of the bowl tomorrow it would probably look like a jello mold with potatoes and dumplings and chicken instead of fruit. :roll It definitley make things thicker. :yes

[WingsOfTheMorning]

I used broth this morning to make a smoothie for DD2 and she loved it! :rockon I blended up frozen bananas and chicken broth. This is so awesome because she can't have most substitute milks. (Did you know rice milk has sunflower seed oil? :mad /rant) The bone broth will be better for her anyway!

[treehugginmama]

I read through this but I didn't find the answer to my question.

I just did beef bone broth but I only simmered it for 24 hours because my house STINKS and it's giving me a headache.

I used knuckle and marrow bones from grass fed cows. I added carrots, shallot and green onion along with ACV. The broth is VERY yellow. I'm guessing it's because it's grass fed but is it normal? Should it be darker?

I'm doing the bones again for a second batch and it smells much better in here. That batch I'm going to use for when I make potatoes or quinoa or stir fry.

[Glitterfish]

I read through this but I didn't find the answer to my question.

I just did beef bone broth but I only simmered it for 24 hours because my house STINKS and it's giving me a headache.

I used knuckle and marrow bones from grass fed cows. I added carrots, shallot and green onion along with ACV. The broth is VERY yellow. I'm guessing it's because it's grass fed but is it normal? Should it be darker?

I'm doing the bones again for a second batch and it smells much better in here. That batch I'm going to use for when I make potatoes or quinoa or stir fry.
Interesting. I wonder if the yellow is from the carrots/onions :think but then you would still think it would be darker brown because of the beef.....

I would always go w/ simmering it longer and see.

[lalaithnil]

:yes I'd simmer it longer too. Can you put it in the garage or porch or something? Is it in a crock pot? That way you wouldn't have to smell it. I used onions and carrots in my beef broth and it was VERRRRRY dark brown after 3 days.

[2sunshines]

I made my first bone broth last week (beef). Simmered for 3 days. Took about half of it out and made a beef veggie soup. SO SO SO good!

I put the other half of the broth in the fridge and am going to make round 2 tomorrow with it.

My question is this. There is obviously a layer of fat along the top. Should I remove it? I mean, I know that traditionally it's good to remove fat, but isn't animal fat good for you? So wouldn't it stand to reason that it's better to leave it in???

[treehugginmama]

Maybe I can put it in my craft room. Yes its in the crock pot. My crock pot has low high and warm. Is warm good enough for simmering?

[3boysforme]

Maybe I can put it in my craft room. Yes its in the crock pot. My crock pot has low high and warm. Is warm good enough for simmering?

My crockpot has to be on high to simmer.

[2sunshines]

Maybe I can put it in my craft room. Yes its in the crock pot. My crock pot has low high and warm. Is warm good enough for simmering?

I put mine on low. I think that warm would be too low... You want to keep the temperature high enough so that it doesn't start growing bacteria, right? Mine simmered on low. It's probably a crockpot to crockpot thing.

[treehugginmama]

It was more of a boil on low however on warm it doesn't really simmer either. Maybe that was my problem. I had it on warm a lot of the time because low seemed to high.

[melliethepooh]

Skimming the fat is a matter of preference. On GAPS you keep all the fat in, but for storing it the broth will keep longer without fat.

[raining_kisses]

I leave the fat...I don't worry about storing cause it doesn't last very long around here. :shifty

My crock pot simmers on Low. :yes

[Glitterfish]

I definitely simmer on low (it is more of a low boil, but warm is not enough to simmer).

[2sunshines]

Well, I'm using the 2nd half of the bone broth I made for another pot of soup today. It was such a hit with the whole family (and bil) last week. And it's very satisfying to know that I made the whole thing from scratch. :rockon

[treehugginmama]

I think with my next batch I will use my older crock pot that just has low and high. Maybe that one will work out better. Now I'm wondering if I should throw what I made out.

[NeshamaMama]

I always freeze my remaining broth a day or two after it's done, but I find it annoying to have to thaw when I want to use it (or remember to put it in the fridge a day or two before, which never happens :shifty) so how long does broth realistically last in the fridge? :think I want to have easier access to it so that we drink/use it more often, but I don't want to waste any of it!

[Dovenoir]

I always freeze my remaining broth a day or two after it's done, but I find it annoying to have to thaw when I want to use it (or remember to put it in the fridge a day or two before, which never happens :shifty) so how long does broth realistically last in the fridge? :think I want to have easier access to it so that we drink/use it more often, but I don't want to waste any of it!

Depends on the salt content. Conventional food safety theory says 7 days max.

You may get some mileage out of freezing them in cube trays. We're using 3-4 cubes in a meal, and its easy to portion out.

[The Tickle Momster]

Just talked to our grass fed beef butcher. Told her I like to make beef broth so wanted the soup bones. She is also giving me the "dog bones" and tail stuff. :woohoo Says adding those will make it even better. My 1/2 cow arrives later this month. Will be simmering beef broth for much of November.

[charla]

I roasted a chicken tonight for supper and I had the crockpot ready to go with the veggies, spices, etc. so when I cut the chicken meat off the bone for supper, I immediately put the carcass right into the crockpot and turned it on. I'm excited for my second batch of chicken bone broth. :rockon

[lalaithnil]

I've been having trouble getting enough liquid and food because I get filled up so quickly now that I'm pregnant. I've been relying on chicken bone broth. It's sort of a perfect pregnancy food, because it's hydrating, full of protein, has some fat, and is very nutritious! :rockon

[JenLovie]

I have my first batch of beef bone broth brewing! (Yay alliteration!). My mom and I are going to make soup tomorrow so I started the broth tonight. I know it won't be ready for the soup, but it'll still add some flavor.

[NeshamaMama]

I started my perpetual broth in the crockpot last night and just took out the first quart! :jump It is soooo yummy looking, I wanted to drink it all up right then, but I'm making myself save it for soup for lunch tomorrow. :pout It did reduce but didn't all evaporate like last time thank goodness. I'm excited to see how long I can stretch the bones from these next few chickens - I want to fill our freezer with broth because in a few weeks we'll have a new source of chicken and won't be buying whole birds for a few months. (I'm totally snagging multiple Thanksgiving turkey carcasses though!! :lol)

[lalaithnil]

Am I correct in assuming that I don't season chicken broth if I plan to use it for smoothies and Popsicles? Just the chicken parts and nothing else, right?

[raining_kisses]

You are correct. :yes

[marigold]

I made some chicken broth on the back of my stove instead of my slow cooker I kept having to add more water a couple times a day. I stopped it yesterday at about 4 days because I was tired of adding water and I only ended up with about 2 cups. I put it in the fridge and pulled it out this morning to put in some root soup to add nutrients. The whole thing was thick like refrigerated gravy. That must be the gelatin, eh? I even got brave enough to add the softest of the bone stuff. We'll see how it turns out.

[JenLovie]

My bone broth didn't go much past 36 hours, but that's okay. I've already used some in DS1's food and am working on freezing the rest. I need more than 1 ice cube tray.

[PrincessAnika]

got a rotisserie chicken at the store fri night because i didn;t feel like cooking. :giggle fed dh and the girls, picked off the rest of the meat, dumped the bones and skin in the crockpot and filled it with water. sun am dumped it through the strainer, added in the rest of the meat chopped, cubed potatoes, shredded carrots, krazy salt, pepper, minced onion, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and....i think thats it. yummy, but i cant eat much. :impouting

[lalaithnil]

So glad to read you were able to enjoy a little, Anika. :pray4 things ease up for you soon. :hugheart

[Barefoot]

I made some ice blocks (popsicles?) for DS, half broth and half juice, he loved them.

Then I thought I had better get some into me, and I didn't exactly relish the thought of drinking it, so I made risotto with the broth as the liquid stock. OMGoodness, it was delicious. Roast pumpkin, chicken, peas, oregano. That is it. I am so glad there are leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b166/froggy80au/IMAG0731.jpg

[Chaos Coordinator]

i boiled noodles in broth last night for homemade mac n cheese. i used a LOT of our broth cubes though, so when i boiled the veggies i just used plain water. i dont really feel like making more broth any time soon and i really didn't want to have to add it to my to do list just yet.

i am LOVING the broth cubes system. i add 2 cubes to our morning scrambled eggs. its so easy.

i neglected the bones from my last batch for too long and never got around to making any brothcicles for the kids. :-/ oh well. next time.

[lalaithnil]

I am sick with a bad cold and my WONDERFUL DH started a crock of chicken bone broth for me last night. :heart
Love is bone broth. :giggle

[3boysforme]

My mom found beef soup bones at a grocery store in the city. She bought all they had (5 packs) :woohoo

[JenLovie]

I made chicken bone broth over the weekend. It smelled amazing and I've been using it in DS1's food.

[2sunshines]

Since this thread I've been making bone broth about weekly. :yes Love it! :heart

[NeshamaMama]

I'm loving this perpetual bone broth!! I just emptied by crockpot after 7 days of bones simmering (the previous one was 4 or 5 days) and 7 or so quarts of broth stocked in my freezer! I'm going to wash the crock tonight (I figure I should do that sometime :shifty) and start again with the bones of the chicken we ate tonight. :rockon DD has been drinking the broth like crazy (with all 3 meals today!) because it's so readily available, so that's *awesome*.

[3boysforme]

Found another use for bone broth. :giggle

I bought some cat food that my cat hates and is refusing to eat. Today I put some chicken broth on it and she is tearing it up!

[Glitterfish]

Okay, so I have a question about nutrition.

Is the nutrition just as good when you do the perpetual broth, where you take some out and add more water? I feel like the nutrition would be watered down, kwim?

I let my beef bones simmer in the crock pot for at least 3-4 days, and it cooks down by about half I guess. I freeze half of it in ice cube trays, and use the rest to make a soup (the broth is pretty concentrated, so I double it w/ water for the soup.) I figured that the concentrated frozen broth cubes are adding the most nutrition I can. I usually add them to chili, etc.

What are your thoughts? I'd love to get more broth from the bones, but not by sacrificing the nutrition....

[Happygrl]

I'm starting my first batch tomorrow night. While cleaning out our big freezer, I found a whole chicken that DH had grilled this summer. Making chicken enchilada soup out of it and then using that carcass plus the one from the rotisserie we bought this weekend. Can't wait!

[JenLovie]

I have another round of beef bone broth going right now. Started it yesterday and plan to use some of it in vegetable beef soup tomorrow.

[Castle On A Cloud]

My crock pot is on pretty much 5/7 days a week. The maintenance man jokes that we are the ones who are always cooking chicken, lol. Idk if I posted about this, but a little while ago, whole foods had whole chickens for .99/lb. I bought 20, and cut them up. So I have a chest freezer about half full of leftover chicken carcass... Hubby is getting pretty into the broth thing, always wanting to have some to drink, or to try a new soup with:-) I am down to one (maybe 2...) Bags of beef bones..I have to limit how much I make though, cause right now my freezer can only handle 40c at a time... Gotta eat more of that chicken (simmered in broth of course:-) )

[Happygrl]

I decided to go ahead and start it tonight.

Can I use any skin and/or leftover meat in the broth as well? I have lots of skin leftover and some dark meat (I'm not a big fan). If so, would I put them straight into the crockpot or roast them with the bones first?