Easy Bone Broth
Easy bone broth is where it’s at! We’ve passed the New Year, and we are in the long, cold haul until spring break! Now, as I speak, I should be experiencing cold weather and snow, but it is unusually warm this weekend, breaking almost 50 degrees! For us, that’s t-shirt weather.
In any case, I’m still doing some wintery recipes. Today, I thought I’d share my easy bone broth recipe with you! A pot of it is currently boiling on the stove, so it’s perfect timing.
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Bone Broth & Its Benefits
If you haven’t heard of bone broth, let me enlighten you! Bone broth is basically what many people call “stock”. Broth is technically supposed to be made without bones, and stock is made with bones. However, over time they’ve combined to create bone broth.
It’s made very easily by using up all your leftovers! When talking about finding financial freedom, this is the BEST recipe for using everything. Nothing left unused, so it’s a great bang for your buck. Bone broth is super easy to make, and it’s basically free. It is the ultimate leftover recipe!
Many people claim that the health benefits are outstanding. I’m not sure about the actual science to back this up, but who doesn’t like some chicken noodle soup when it’s cold? It warms the soul!
Anyways, the elements of easy bone broth are great for those icky colds and the flu. It gives you some great flavor, and hydrates you! Win-win, right?
Roasting the Bones
First, is roasting the bones. This step will bring out the best flavor. Take all your bones and lay them on a pan. Roast the bones at least at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. You’re aiming for as close to “too done” as you can get. Get those babies nice and hot!
When you’re done, make sure that you do not leave those little brown bits on the pan! Add a bit of water (like you’re making gravy) and scrape that stuff off! Add it to the mix for some bonus flavor and some great color.
Broth on the Stove
After you have roasted your bones, you should put them in a big stockpot. This pot from Amazon is a great option. You can get it in a variety of sizes I have one that is very similar and I love it! Bonus, if you want to start canning, this pot will work for that, too!
After you’ve added your bones and the golden goodness from the roasting, add your veggies. I save up veggie bits for a few months for my stock. Things like celery sticks and leaves, carrot or pepper tops, and other chopped off bits work really well. I usually like to add some onion and garlic as well. Then, add some spices to your liking. Things like bay leaves, oregano, and parsley will work well.
Add enough water to the pot to just cover the ingredients. Then, bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and leave sit for at least four hours. Some people recommend as long as 24 hours! It’s up to you and your schedule. However, the longer it sits, the better your flavor will be. If you are planning on going for a 24-hour boil, I would wait to add the veggies at the halfway point.
Once it’s boiling, be sure to scoop off the excess foam during the first hour or so. Keep checking to make sure it’s at a nice boil as you go, too. I sometimes need to add extra water as it goes to keep the good stuff covered.
Finishing it Off
Once your time is up, pull out all the bones with tongs. Then, you’ll need a good strainer (find one here!) to get out all the smaller bits. This step is super important to get it all out!
After straining, put it in a smaller container and put it in an ice bath to cool it quickly. Mine takes about 10 minutes or so to cool off. After cooling, store in the refrigerator. Usually, the broth will get some stuff to solidify on the top, but you can scrape that bit off.
The broth will last about a week in the fridge, or you can freeze for a few months. I like to freeze for use in soup, pot pies, and other things that require both.
