Roast a chicken, Save the bones

Much of the flavor and goodness of the bone marrow is cooked into the meat, and some is rendered into the bottom of the pan where it can be gleaned and made into any number of impressive things, but there is still a treasure of nutrition left inside those bones!

Bone broth deepens and enriches the flavor of whatever dish it’s used in. It’s the best foundation for soups and stews and it takes sauces to the next level. Even simple rice or pasta can become hearty when broth is used in place of water (a great way to get some goodness into a particularly picky little eater).

Bone broth is medicinal

The properties in the bones, skin, cartilage and connective tissues of a roasted hen are the same as those found in types I, II and III collagen supplements. They’re the building blocks our own tissues require to maintain themselves. These nutrients are vital for the regeneration of many things including skin, hair, nails and the lining of the digestive tract (which determines how much “good” goes in and how much “bad” stays out of the blood stream- pretty important).

Bone broth is also a good source of protein and is full of lysine, which helps fight viruses, validating the inherent urge to feed chicken soup to sick children. 

And it’s so easy

This particular batch of broth was made from the left-over carcasses of two hens which I’d roasted (and some vegetable scraps).

Carrots or onion make a perfect “baking rack” for your chicken. And if they don’t get eaten, throw them in the pot along with the bones!

One of these hens are for tonight’s dinner with mashed potatoes and a salad with ranch. I figured if I’m cooking one I may as well make two, and use the other for tomorrow night’s enchiladas. Besides, the more bones for broth the better!

This is Redmond’s salt, which I have on hand in huge bags for livestock anyway. Isn’t it pretty?! It’s an unrefined salt mined from an ancient seabed in Utah and it’s slap full of trace minerals.

A shot of vinegar helps to further extract and break down the nutrients and minerals.

Unless I know exactly what I'll be using a batch of broth for, I don't season it with anything else. I like to think of it as "neutral" and able to adapt to whatever need I may have for it.

Choose a time that’s conducive for your schedule, either let it simmer overnight or during the day if you’ll be home. If you only have four or five hours, that works fine, 8-10 is even better. (If the bones were raw you could do 12-24 hours or more, but these have already been roasted once.) 

A crock pot works beautifully for this job too, especially if you need to leave the house. My stove can cook low and slow, and this pot fits more easily in the dishwasher, so this is the route I took today. 

a pot of bone gold

The liquid can easily be poured through a sieve into a large bowl, leaving you with one bowl of pure goodness, and one pot of stewed bones for a four legged friend. Do yourself a favor and do this in the sink.