And then there's Fridays...On Fridays We Make Bone Broth...not exactly Mean Girls, but if I could start a Paleo Girls revolution - I am certain there would be t-shirts emblazoned with this saying!
Not too long into my Paleo journey, I started reading about and seeing posts on the benefits of bone broth. I bought some (and had to be resuscitated in the broth aisle at Central Market from the cost) and loved it. Then I made some and the kitchen angels sang! Honest, I heard them! And now, On Fridays I Make Bone Broth.
I use most of it for the prepared meals I make for clients, but always save at least one ice cube tray for me. I love to drink it in the afternoons or right before bedtime with some sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, sometimes a squeeze of lemon or if I have roasted garlic....oh my!....I stir that in and do the bone broth happy dance!
We eat a lot of chicken. I was always the person who bought the most convenient cut - boneless, skinless. I could almost see Ina Garten shaking her head in disappointment, but it made my life so easy. And then I found bone broth. So now, I buy almost everything bone it, skin on. I use the skin to make schmaltz (don't judge until you try it!) and lots of the bones get reserved for bone broth.
Sometimes chicken stays moister and cooks more evenly on the bone - I save those bones too. Every bone goes into a zipper bag and into my freezer and then on Friday...say it with me!...On Friday We Make Bone Broth! You can also get your butcher or the guy behind the meat counter in most stores with a meat counter to de-bone chicken for you. I always ask to have my whole chickens cut up and the backbone removed (score!) so I can flatten them with a foil-wrapped brick or two and grill them so the skin gets crispy and the meat cooks evenly. It's a win-win!
It's easy, it's affordable and it has amazing health (and beauty) benefits. You probably know that Mark Sisson from Mark's Daily Apple is my go-to for the science of Paleo and Primal eating - so here is an article full of info about Cooking With Bones. It's a lot, but it just might get you to make your first slow cooker full of this delicious concoction.
For me, the gelatin in bone broth is key. I love that it promotes digestive health, since before switching to a clean diet, I struggled with bloat and tummy issues. I also love the well-documented fact that it helps in the fight against joint disease...my knees are somehow 10 years older than the rest of me...hunh! And the Leo in me loves what it does for my hair/mane! Fabulous!
I always add Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar to my slow cooker - it helps leach the minerals and nutrients from the bones, making your bone broth rich in calcium (holla), phosphorus, magnesium and other trace minerals that are always a good idea. AND, these are easily absorbed by the body in bone broth form.
I don't have a recipe - I just have a method. Another plus for bone broth and the slow cooker, if you ask me!
Ingredients
2-3 pounds (or whatever you have in your freezer) of chicken bones
one onion, 5-6 ribs of celery, 2-3 large carrots - all cleaned and roughly chopped
one head of garlic, smashed and pealed
2 bay leaves
1 t sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper or whole peppercorns
Fresh herbs...I like almost all of them...today I used dill and thyme
Other options -
Roast the bones before adding them to the pot for a deeper flavor
Add a lemon cut in half (I recommend adding rosemary if you go the lemon route...yum)
Add half a jalapeno during the last hour or two of cooking to spice it up (great for Southwestern pulled chicken stews)
You can add different or additional veggies
You can leave out the garlic
Be creative!
Method
Place bones and veggies into your slow cooker, top with spices and herbs, then add enough water to cover. Cook for 20-36 hours (I think chicken bone broth is perfect at 24 hours in my slow cooker, but I start checking at 20).
Cool and refrigerate. If you are going to use or freeze it right away, let it cool enough to skim the fat off. If you are going to let it live in your fridge in a covered container until you need it (within a week please!), leave the fat on as a protection against fridge smells and bacteria. I freeze mine in regular ice cube trays and then transfer the cubes to a zipper bag and store them until I need them. Rumor has it they will last for 6 months...I've never had any left that long, but you can do your own research online if you want to make a whole bunch to freeze.
The first time I made this, I felt like it was such an undertaking, but it turned out to be really simple and man, does it make your kitchen smell amazing! And it is so practical and frugal and super-healthy and you'll be so proud of yourself. Good luck and enjoy!
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