(Taken from and credit to Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon)
Bone broth was once a staple in every kitchen back when animals were slaughtered locally and nothing went to waste. Science now validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.
Gelatin was found to be useful in the treatment of a long list of diseases including peptic ulcers, tuberculosis, diabetes, muscle diseases, infectious diseases, jaundice and cancer. Babies had fewer digestive problems when gelatin was added to their milk. The American researcher Francis Pottenger pointed out that as gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means that it attracts and holds liquids, it facilitates digestion by attracting digestive juices to food in the gut.
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs Of Bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*gizzards from one chicken (optional) coarsely chopped
- 2-4 Chicken feet (optional)
- 4 quarts Cold filtered water
- 1 tsp Vinegar
- 1 Large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 Carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 3 Celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 1 Bunch parsley
Instructions
- *Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.
Boil
- Place chicken bones in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand for 30 minutes to one hour Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 8 - 12 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be and the more minerals you extract (chicken bones will completely dissolve in about 72 hours of cooking with additional vinegar). About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.
Strain
- Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Keep stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer. See below regarding how to store broth.
Beef Stock
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Beef marrow and knuckle bones
- 3 lbs Meaty rib or neck bones (ask the butcher, or I have made without these)
- 3 Onions, coarsely chopped
- 3 Carrots coarsely chopped
- 3 Celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- Several sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together
- 1 tsp Dried green peppercorns, crushed
- 1 Bunch parsley
- 4 quarts Or more cold filtered water
- 1 tsp Vinegar
Instructions
Browning
- Place the knuckle and marrow bones in a very large pot with vinegar and cover with water. Let stand for one hour. Meanwhile, place the meaty bones in a roasting pan and brown at 350 degrees in the oven. When well browned, add to the pot along with the vegetables. Pour the fat out of the roasting pan, add cold water to the pan, set over a high flame and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen up coagulated juices. Add this liquid to the pot. Add additional water, if necessary, to cover the bones; but the liquid should come no higher than within one inch of the rim of the pot, as the volume expands slightly during cooking. Bring to a boil. A large amount of scum will come to the top, and it is important to remove this with a spoon. After you have skimmed, reduce heat and add the thyme and crushed peppercorns.
Simmer
- Simmer stock for at least 12 and as long as 72 hours (again the longer the better). Just before finishing, add the parsley and simmer another 10 minutes. You will now have a pot of rather repulsive-looking brown liquid containing globs of gelatinous and fatty material. It doesn't even smell particularly good. But don't despair. After straining you will have a delicious and nourishing clear broth that forms the basis for many other recipes in this book (Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon).
Strain
- Remove bones with tongs or a slotted spoon. Strain the stock into a large bowl. Let cool in the refrigerator and remove the congealed fat that rises to the top. Transfer to smaller containers and to the freezer for long-term storage.
Try this: Storing your wondrous broth
Strain broth and freeze in glass pint to quart sized canning jars which you fill only ¾ full (to prevent breaking the glass when the liquid expands).
Leave a Reply