Easy Bone Broth Recipe

Everyone is talking about the health benefits of bone broth soup. It makes me laugh when it’s marketed as a new thing- as its something that I grew up on. My mother always used meat and bones to make her broth. I do believe that the nutrients found within the broth are very beneficial. The collagen within the bones is said to aid in healing your joints and muscles as well as providing a youthful glow.

To me, bone broth is good old-fashioned soup.  A simple recipe with basic ingredients that’s been around for years.

When my mom made beef soup she used a round steak and my siblings and I always fought over the bone marrow. It’s funny because we were unaware at the time that it was healthy for you.  We just liked the taste of the marrow after it had soaked in a rich broth for hours.

When she made chicken soup she used the whole chicken and we made a meal from that. I do now take short cuts to making my bone broth.

At Christmas, I usually make a prime rib roast and it’s with those leftover bones that I make my beef bone broth.

You can also use the leftover bones from pot roast bones or short ribs to make beef broth.

When I make chicken bone broth, I usually take a roasted chicken that I have prepared for an earlier meal.

When I don’t have leftover roasted chicken, I will use fresh chicken thighs and drumsticks instead of a whole chicken. It’s easier to remove the meat.  

Chicken Bone Broth Recipe

I make this even if I do not plan on serving, as it will freeze well. A good reason to prepare the broth ahead of time is that when you are sick, it is easy to just take the broth out of the freezer and heat- that is when you really need homemade soup.

Ingredients

• Leftover roasted chicken (skin, bones, drippings)
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 medium onion
• ½ fresh lemon
• Parsley, thyme, basil, salt and pepper
• Optional: If you have sage add a little of that too
• 2 boxes of organic chicken broth
• 2 Tablespoons of butter (you can use a little oil instead)

Steps:

1. Sautee the diced onion, celery, and carrots in a large soup pan.
2. When the onions are transparent add the chicken, then and the broth, add about 3-4 cups of water
3. Add about a Tbs. each of fresh parsley, thyme, and basil
4. Salt and pepper to taste
5. After the soup has been on the stove awhile I will squeeze in the juice of ½ of a lemon. Be sure to do this over a strainer and discard any seeds. Pulp is ok but not the seeds. The lemon really enhances the flavor of the soup.
6. Bring to a boil and simmer for several hours. At least 4-5 hours.
7. Next, you will need to strain your soup. I usually take a strainer and place it over a large bowl and let it strain for about an hour. Next, you can add back in the strained soup and some of the celery and carrots (I usually do). If you are going to freeze this soup do not add the chicken. If you are going to eat it right away, you can add some of the chicken.

It you are using beef bones then I would follow this above recipe with just a few minor changes.

Beef Broth Recipe

• Beef Bones (whatever previously cooked beef you have)
• 2 boxes of Beef Broth (if you’re not using the au jus)
• 3-4 cups water
• 2 Carrots
• 2 Celery stalks
• 1 Onion
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Tbs. each of fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary
• A couple of bay leaves
• About 1-2 tablespoons of red wine or cider vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste

You do not add the butter and lemon. Follow the above instructions as you would with the chicken bone broth soup.

At Christmas time when I make an au jus for my prime rib, I add the homemade beef bone broth to the soup with the water and eliminate store-bought beef broth.

Once again, I’ll freeze this bone broth for future soups such as my minestrone in which I use beef bone broth. Otherwise, enjoy it right away. You may want to add cheese tortellini in place or noodles or just sip the broth as an afternoon pick me up instead of coffee.

Enjoy your nutritious and delicious bone broth!