MAKES: 18 servings TESTED BY: Colleen W.

075 Bone Broth

TASTING COMMENTS:

We wanted to see how the flavors were developing as the chicken broth bubbled away, so we tasted it at 4, 8, and 12 hours of cook time. We got great-tasting broth at 8 hours, but if you want even richer flavor, cook it for 10 to 12 hours.—CW

Chicken broth

Prep 25 minutes cook 8 hourS

• 5 lb. bony chicken pieces (wings, backs, and/or necks)
• 6 stalks celery with leaves, cut up
• 4 medium carrots, unpeeled and cut up
• 2 large onions, unpeeled and cut up
• 8 sprigs fresh parsley
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled and halved
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. dried thyme, sage, or basil, crushed
• 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns or ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 15 cups cold water
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

What’s the cider vinegar for? The theory is that the extra acid pulls minerals from the bones, making the broth more nutritious.

1. If using wings, cut each wing at joints into three pieces. Place chicken pieces in a 10- to 12-qt. pot; add remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to low. Gently simmer, covered, 8 to 10 hours.

2. Remove chicken pieces from pot. Use a slotted spoon to remove as many vegetables as possible.

3. Strain broth into a large bowl through a colander lined with four layers of 100%-cotton cheesecloth. Discard vegetables and seasonings.

4. If using broth while hot, skim off fat. If storing, chill broth in a bowl 6 hours; lift off fat. Place broth in an airtight container. Cover and chill up to 3 days or freeze up to 6 months.

Slow Cooker Directions Prepare as directed, except reduce all ingredients by half. Combine all ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 10 to 12 hours. Continue as directed in Step 2. Makes 9 cups.

Per serving 38 cal., 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 17 mg chol., 294 mg sodium, 2 g carb., 1 g fiber, 1 g sugars, 5 g pro.

save your scraps Put your vegetable scraps to good use and save them for bone broth-making day. In addition to onions, celery, and carrots, you can save trimmings from mushrooms (such as shiitake stems), asparagus, leeks, and more. Place all your extras in resealable freezer bags and freeze up to 3 months.

Bone Broth

beef broth

Prep 30 minutes roast 45 minutes at 450°F cook 8 hourS

• 3 lb. beef soup bones (knuckle, neck, or marrow bones)
• 1 cup water
• 6 stalks celery with leaves, cut up
• 4 medium carrots, unpeeled and cut up
• 3 medium onions, unpeeled and cut up
• 2 Tbsp. dried basil or thyme, crushed
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 20 whole black peppercorns
• 16 sprigs fresh parsley
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled and halved
• 18 cups cold water
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Ask your butcher to cut the marrow bones into 2- to 3-inch lengths to expose more of the marrow, which infuses the broth with rich, beefy flavor.

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place soup bones in a large shallow roasting pan. Roast 45 minutes or until browned, turning once.

2. Place soup bones in a 10- to 12-qt. stockpot. Pour the 1 cup water into the roasting pan and scrape up browned bits; add to stockpot. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to low. Gently simmer, covered, 8 to 12 hours. Remove soup bones from broth.

3. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon. Strain broth into a large bowl through a colander lined with four layers of 100%-cotton cheesecloth. Discard vegetables and seasonings.

4. If using the broth while hot, skim fat. If storing, chill broth in a bowl 6 hours; lift off fat. Place broth in airtight containers. Chill up to 3 days or freeze up to 6 months.

5. If desired, when bones are cool enough to handle, remove meat. Chop meat; discard bones. Place meat in airtight containers. Chill up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Slow Cooker Directions Prepare as directed, except reduce all ingredients by half. Roast bones as directed in Step 1. Pour the 1 cup water into the roasting pan and scrape up browned bits. In a 6-qt. slow cooker combine the water and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. Remove soup bones from broth. Continue as directed in Step 3. Makes about 9 cups.

Per serving 36 cal., 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 11 mg chol., 170 mg sodium, 2 g carb., 0 g fiber, 0 g sugars, 5 g pro.

Bones, Bones, Bones The best way to get your hands on bones is to save the ones left over from roasts, steaks (think T-bone), and roasted chickens and turkeys. You can pack the bones in resealable plastic freezer bags and freeze up to 3 months. You can also buy beef bones from the butcher or at grocery stores that cut their own meat. Call ahead to see if the butcher can set aside soup bones such as marrow, knuckle, and neck bones for you.