(Chicken) Bone Broth
Bone broth is simply broth made from animal bones. And yes, it’s actually very simple to make at home.
Growing up in a Chinese household, broths and soups were a staple in my diet, and I credit a lot of my good skin, good hair and good health to the powers of the humble broth!
Bone broth contains lots of nutrients, of which the high levels of collagen are believed to have anti-ageing effects, and are beneficial to joint health. Gelatine is also plentiful in bone broth, which may help our digestive health. The various amino acids found in bone broth may also help our immune system and and promote better sleep.
For the best results, select joint bones such as knuckles and feet. The key to margin a good bone broth is to cook ‘low and slow’, adding an acidic ingredient to help extract nutrients. You can also add vegetables and herbs in the last hour to add more flavour and nutrition.
This recipe gives you a plain bone broth, which you can consume by itself, or add to cooking.
Tip: this is best made in the morning, as it requires quite a lot of time to simmer down. Alternatively, you can use a slow cooker so you don’t have to actively simmer anything.
Ingredients
Chicken carcass (I used 2 in this recipe, you can use the leftover carcass from a roast chicken, or get plenty of bones and joints from your local butcher)
About 3L of water (enough to cover the bones)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Herbs e.g. thyme and rosemary, optional
Method
Add the bones to a large pot, and cover with water (this will reduce down to about 1.5-2L)
Add in the apple cider vinegar
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for at least 10-12 hours, or until reduced by 1/3 to 1/2. The more it reduces, the more intense the flavor will become and the more collagen will be extracted.
You can add in any aromatics, or even carrots, onion and celery during the last hour of cooking.
Strain and discard the bones. Either use immediately or store in glass jars and freeze up to 1-2 months or more. Just be sure to leave a couple inches at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.
I prefer seasoning with salt and pepper just before using, so that it won’t get too salty if you’re using it to cook something else.
Note: a good bone broth typically gelatinises when refrigerated! It will get back to a liquid form once you heat it up.
