Now this is one health food trend that is exciting for our palate and for our body!!! You will love learning how to make Homemade chicken broth (or bone broth) is incredibly nutrient dense. It’s perfect for improved digestion, healing your gut and even preventing early aging.
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I realize not everyone drinks or uses bone broth/homemade chicken broth. For those that prefer broth made without animal products, try homemade vegetable broth.
Glass of chicken broth anyone??? As many of you know, I am a bit of health enthusiast. Whenever I process my chicken broth, I always set aside a mug of broth for myself. In the last couple of years, I now add collagen to my broth with a shake of real salt. It’s perfect every time!!
Bone Broth Is Not New
Chicken broth, sometimes referred to as bone broth, is a traditional food that routes back several hundreds of years. Traditionally, it was a great way to get the most out of your meat bones. Chicken, ham, beef and even wild game was used for preparing broth and later soups.
Chicken broth/bone broth has many uses; you can be served as a warm drink, a base for soup or a base for other nutritious dishes.
The time it takes to make this nutritious tonic is worth every minute!.
Here comes the exciting part…..
4 Reasons to Add Chicken Broth to your Diet
- Chicken broth strengthens the gut. Chicken broth naturally produces gelatin (which is collagen broken down). Broth is easily digested and absorbed by the body. The gelatin found in broth has been proven to heal the lining of gut and even strengthen it. It also attracts digestive juices that are crucial for proper digestion.
- Chicken broth contains amino acids: Three amino acids found in chicken broth are arginine, glycine, and proline. These amino acids are necessary for reducing inflammation in our body. Amino acids are also essential for strengthening our immune system.
- Chicken broth protects our joints. The gelatin produced by simmering the chicken parts leaches into the broth. Gelatin is needed by both young and old. As we grow we need gelatin to aid in the process of building and maintaining strong bones. As we age, the gelatin is needed to continue to cushion our joints.
- Chicken broth contains high amounts of minerals and electrolytes. Some of the minerals found in chicken broth are magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. These nutrients are essential to supporting our digestive health, bone mineral density, brain health, and our bodies immunity.
Simple Recipe for Making Broth
Before making the broth:
In a large crock pot, cook a whole chicken (3-4 lbs) for approximately 4-5 hours. I strongly recommend purchasing an organic, free-range broiler or roasting chicken. When I place my chicken in the crock pot, I add celery and onion, as well as Bragg’s Seasoning.
NOTE: If feeding chicken broth to your dog, omit the onion when you cook your chicken.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken meat from the bones & fill the crock pot with purified water. Turn the crock pot on low & bring broth to a simmer.
Simmer chicken parts for 18-24 hours. Chicken broth can also be done in a stock pot. I prefer the crock pot method because I can leave it and not worry about losing water or leaving the stove top on overnight. If you chose to use a stock pot, you’ll need to add more water throughout your day.
The key to remember is you want to use gentle, low heat.
Gather Your Supplies:
Wide Mouth Canning jars work well for storing your broth. Ball Mason Jar-32 oz. Clear Glass Wide Mouth – Set of 4. They can withstand heat & be placed directly in the freezer.
To make life simple, use a metal strainer: Winco MS3A-8D Strainer with Double Fine Mesh, 8-Inch Diameter.
The easiest method for me is to pour the broth & chicken remains into a metal strainer that is sitting on top of a 2 qt glass mixing bowl. Once I have 2 quarts I pour the strained chicken broth into clean canning jars. Continue that same process until all the broth is stained and in the jars.
** IMPORTANT NOTE: use “wide-mouth canning jars” if you would like to place them in the freezer.
Plastic Storage Caps are quite useful. It’s easy to write the contents of the jars and the date on the lid before placing it in the refrigerator or freezer. Ball Wide-mouth Plastic Storage Caps, 16-count (one size)
Storing Your Broth
Before moving the jars to the freezer, date the top of the jar with the processing date & cool in the refrigerator. Once the broth is cool, move the jars to the freezer. I recommend making real bone broth in your home. Often the chicken broth sold in stores has been over heated and processed. It is also stored in an aluminium can or cardboard carton.
It’s a wonderful sense of fulfillment to provide quality chicken broth for you and those you love. Please contact me if you have questions on how to prepare homemade chicken broth.
Pursing Better Health Together,
[…] My homemade chicken broth recipe can be found here. […]