Bone broth = liquid gold = precious food = vital medicine

I posted about this back in one of my very first posts here (see there in the pink recipe card...), but I thought that a more extended run down would be of benefit. --

It is so frugal and nutritious; so versatile, so simple;
and it's many possible uses so basic to so luxurious,
it should really return to the first thing we learn in the kitchen.
Don't forget to teach it to your children.

Here's the basic method I use
---anything more than this is optional,
such as various herbs, parsley, or vegetables which I add near the end to alter the flavor etc for use in a meal --

• collect bones and all bits and pieces (after removing the meat in the kitchen or from the plates after dinner) put in freezer bag until you are ready
  
  • If you cooked in a method that created a lot of liquid - then keep this "chicken juice" in a bowl in the fridge until later (mmm healing gelatin power)
• put bones and bits in a pot or crock pot, cover with water (filtered of course)
  
  • Ideally, add vinegar (or other acid) to the water and allow the bones to sit for 1/2 hr+ before turning on the heat - this will maximize the amount of minerals you pull out
    (advisory: if you don't follow the vinegar soak with boiling, then the vinegar flavor may never completely dissipate -because of this, I sometimes use balsamic, which tastes better in my opinion, when crock potting)
    
  • if the source of your chicken is suspect or sub-par (or you want to eliminate the vinegar) then
    
    1. start in a pot and bring it to a boil
       
    2. skim off any of the foam that rises to the surface. (Sally Fallon called this impurities - and I have found that high quality chicken produces no foam)
       
    3. leave to simmer if you are to be in the kitchen
       or add enough cool water to not shock/crack your crock and then pour into a crock pot to slow cook
• add bay leaves, whole cloves, large pieces of onion, garlic and/or (flavorless) seaweed - if desired
  
  • if desired, add onion before bringing it to the boil because it often produces much foam on it's own and I have suspected it to be impurities as well (fungus?)
• allow to simmer (not boil) until bones are soft enough to break and/or ~12 hours as convenience allows -
  
• when needed, add water to keep bones covered.
  (and add any other vegetables/herbs,... as desired - cooking too long can add bitterness
  I always keep a bag of kale stems (or other stem vegetables,...) that I can add to the bone broth -very important nutrients for skin health.)
  
• turn heat off and allow to cool enough until you are comfortable pouring it
• pour through a strainer into a container.

Storing and such

• If you would like to add the "chicken juice" from the fridge (that bowl of gel in the fridge from the beginning such as when the chicken was crock potted), then mix together allowing the heat to melt it in- this will make it taste AMAZING (depending on seasoning as well of course) and utilize the nutritious gelatin in more meals as well.
• Whatever combination of broth/juice you have, you will likely have a layer of fat form on the top - this is, of course, good food, but sometimes is more than enough for the amount of broth (especially in some beef bones' results) and would be too heavy/ slick for tastes, so simply leave as is, but if there is ever 'extra' fat when you are done using the bowl/jar from your fridge that week, then just put the 'chunks' of it in a freezer bag for a time when you don't have as much fat to ratio)
  

• if you would like to condense the broth to save space,
1. then boil it down (remove foam if any comes up)
   
2. until desired reduction amount
   
3. allow it to cool - Have a few sips :)
   
4. pour into container, freezer bags, or small containers (that can be removed as individual serving sizes for multiple uses (ice cubes for individual cups of broth or bigger cups for soups....etc))

Cooking with this liquid gold!

• if you would like to make soup or add vegetables then add any that you desire in order that they require to cook plus herbs/spices - add water if needed to reach amount for # of people.
• If you would like to use it in other foods such as when cooking rice, there is no rule - just add as much as you want whenever liquids such as water, milk, stock, or broth is called for --judging results by how the broth itself tastes.
  (I usually avoid rosemary in my broth because of it inability to blend into a variety of meals, etc....). Rice cooked with all broth instead of water is amazingly just on its own. Talk about using meat sparingly ;).... Also, the gelatin content is great in any meal especially those that have little, to no, raw foods in them. (improves digestion through nutrients by ability AND churning of food)
  
• if you would like to make gravy, (this is also the base of a cream soup, as described in previous post)
  
  1. get a whisk out and have your broth very handy to pour or scoop in quickly if needed.
     
  2. melt oil/butter in a pan and add ~ equal weight of a flour (one that will thicken it or later add arrowroot powder)
     
  3. and add pepper, salts, garlic powder, optional herbs/spices, dried mushroom (this is a great flavor, amaze the relatives who eat packaged food!), (these can be added at any point but more flavor throughout/deeper when added at the beginning)
     
  4. adding more oil/butter and moving it around, if needed, until flour is cooked (cooking until browned but not burned makes brown gravy, but just not tasting like flour is what is important) and add broth at any point to prevent flour from burning - add broth, water, and/or milk until desired
  5. Constantly whisk to prevent it from sticking on the bottom of the pan and to prevent lumps as adding liquids
     
  6. if using arrowroot powder, mix a spoonful+ into a small amount of cold liquid then add to the pan, whisking it in, this will thicken it, but if cooked for too long it will lose it's ability and will have to be added again - always add as much as you need - such as if you didn't use enough flour in the beginning for desired results
  7. mmm gravy