How to make your own chicken broth/stock

There are so many health benefits to bone broth.  It's great for healing the gut, great for healing and preventing illness, aids in digestion, and provides essential minerals and nutrition to your diet.  Lots of recipes frequently use broth or stock as a base for sauces, gravies, or soups.  Previously I have always bought an organic version in a tetra-pack.  I thought I was using a healthy version but really I was paying for mostly water, little nutrition and lots of hidden MSG and additives.  A better and even more economical alternative is to make it yourself.  I know what you're thinking.  "I don't have time for that!"  Sure you do!  It takes little time to prep and simmers on the stove for up to 24 hours.  You can do this while you are sleeping, running errands, etc. I've even heard of people doing it in the crockpot, although I've never tried it.  You can make it with leftover bones from a chicken that you have roasted or you can boil a whole chicken and go from there.  I've done it both ways and I think I prefer the whole chicken method, but really both are sufficient.  It serves as a wonderful source of nutrition and cost merely pennies.


How to make chicken stock
1 whole chicken (pastured chicken is best)
1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks

2 T apple cider vinegar
filtered water



Place whole washed chicken with innards removed in a large stockpot.  Add filtered water, just covering the chicken.  Add 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 2 celery stalks, chopped if desired, although they don't have to be.  You may also add veggie scraps that you have saved in the freezer.  Add 2T of apple cider vinegar.  Stir and let sit for 30 minutes.  This begins to draw out minerals.  Then bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the top.  Reduce to a simmer.  Take out chicken after about 2 hours.  Debone the chicken and save it for future dishes.  Continue simmering for 4-24 hours.  After the time has elapsed strain off the broth, and discard bones and veggies.  You will need salt as well.  I usually add it to the dish I am preparing it with.  That's it!  It makes a ton and was practically free!  I store mine in mason jars in the fridge.  It can stay in the fridge for 5 days or frozen if you won't use it in that amount of time.

Now you can use it for a million different things such as soups, casseroles, cooking rice, etc.   Happy cooking!