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Bone Broth

A healing and nourishing elixir with many uses in the real food kitchen.
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Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 pounds pounds of fresh bony cuts of high quality meat (pastured, grass fed, organic, etc.). If using chicken or turkey, use any cut or mix wings, drum sticks, necks and backs (Optional, recommended: Include 1-2 pounds chicken feet)
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp high mineral sea salt (such as Himalayan pink, Real Salt, or Celtic), or to taste
  • 6 quarts water preferably filtered
  • 2-4 handfuls bag o' bones (ones you have saved in freezer) Optional, recommended:
  • Mix of saved vegetable scraps (frozen or fresh) Optional
  • Fresh veggies, like 2 onions with skin, 3 celery stalks, 2 carrots Optional
  • any kind of herbs and spices you like (add at the end) Optional

Instructions
 

  • Note: Veggies scraps are optional for bone broth. Some people like to make it with meat only for a more neutral flavor. Others really like the veggie flavor dimension.
  • This part only takes 5 minutes! Pull out your largest stock pot, preferably one that is 12 quarts. If you only have an 8 or 10 quart pot, no worries, just use a little less water and possibly less meat. This is not rocket science. You can eventually learn to just guesstimate amounts.
  • Place all ingredients (except herbs and spices) in the stock pot (do add salt now), and fill it with water. Make sure you leave some room at the top so it doesn't boil over. Bring water to a boil.  Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 18-24 hours.
  • This takes about 15-20 minutes max. Optional: After 2-4 hours, or longer if that's how your day flows, you can pull the meat off the bones so it retains flavor and can be used to make something yummy like chicken salad, taco meat or just go into a soup or stew. If you can't time it this way and your meat gets cooked the whole time, you can still eat it, but it just won't taste that great. Waste not, want not!
  • Remove pot from the stove, add any herbs and spices, then let it cool until it's easy enough for you to handle (the seasoning will infuse it with flavor like steeping tea). Go do something you really enjoy and come back later.
  • This part is quick and easy, too! Say, another 15-20 minutes with clean-up. Using a large strainer, strain the liquid into another pot or large bowl, from which you will fill mason jars for freezing unless using in the next 4 days. You can use a large ladle or mug for scooping the broth into the jars. Another option is to use a small strainer and funnel to strain the broth directly into the mason jars.
  • VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Allowing broth to cool minimizes your chances of jars breaking when freezing (caused by rapid, drastic temperature changes). Also, leave an inch or two in the top for the broth to expand as it freezes.
  • Be kind to your future self. Label the jars before freezing them!