Perfect Healing Bone Broth

This perfect recipe for bone broth is easy and delicious.  It is by far the best recipe I've tried so far, because it is the most easy and foolproof.  I call that "stupid easy".  All it takes to start is one rotisserie chicken, cider vinegar, a pinch of salt, and maybe some veggie trimmings. 

Here is a step-by-step pictorial of perfectly easy bone broth, perfect every time!

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken, organic free range

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 t. salt

8 c. filtered or spring water

(optional)

1 carrot chopped into 3 or 4 large pieces

1 stalk celery chopped in 3 or for large pieces

1 onion chopped in large chunks

1 bouquet garni of herbs of your choice

Quick Cooking Instructions:  

Place all ingredients into pot and cover with water.  Pressure cook for 4 hours or cook in slow cooker on low for 24 hours.  Strain broth.  Discard bones.  Chill in refrigerator and skim off any solid fat.  Keep in refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Quick Canning Instructions for Experienced Canners:  

Can under pressure 20 minutes.  Keeps up to 3 months; watch seals as any oils may loosen jar seal.  Mine never last that long, I use the broth up quickly!  Canning saves room in my refrigerator.  One chicken makes 4 pint jars in a 6 quart electric pressure cooker.

Pictorial Step-by-step Instructions:

Step 1:  Carve chicken - remove all meat from chicken bones and reserve for meals.

Step 2:  Place bones into slow/pressure cooker pot.

Step 3:  Add cider and salt into pot.

Step 4:  Chop veggies into very large chunks and put into pot.  

Note;  You may use any leftover veggie peelings and trimmings such as vegetable tops and bottoms, etc.  Instead of discarding them, set them aside for broth!  You can use parsley and other herbs as well, if you like.  

Feel free to experiment with different herb bouquet garni (means herbs on stems not chopped and stuffed into an herb bag or tied together with string, or just simply tossed in the pot!).    Some herbs may include parsley, thyme, bay leaf, sage, oregano, tarragon, etc.  

Step 5:  Add water to cover.

Step 6:  Cook broth - 24 hours in slow cooker on low, or 4 hours in pressure cooker.

Step 7:  Strain broth into another pot and discard bones and veggies.

Step 8:  Refrigerate broth until fat hardens on top, and skim as much of this fat off from broth as possible.  

Enjoy!  

Refrigerate and keep up to 5 days.  

Use in recipes wherever broth is called for, or use in place of water in cooking for added nutrition.  

HOW TO CAN BROTH

Before you start, if you are new to canning, check canning jar manufacturer and pressure cooker manufacture documentation for safety instructions as this is critically important for personal safety and food safety.  

Canning Step 1:  Wash pint canning jars and lids (no need to sterilize and no need to dry if using right away.)

Canning Step 2:  Place canning rack in pot and add 1 cup water 

(or per your canning pot manufacturer instructions).  

Canning Step 3:  Fill pint jars with broth up to just below collar, 2 cups maximum, and place on rack in pressure cooker pot.  

Check your jar manufacturer's canning instructions if you do not understand where maximum fill is on your jars.  

Canning Step 4:  Put new unused canning seals and lids and twist closed hand-tight. 

It does not need to be very tight, but should not be partially opened.  

Canning Step 5:  Steam under pressure 20 minutes

(or longer if per your pressure cooker instructions for canning meats and broths.)  

Canning Step 6:  Don't forget to set pressure vent to seal.

Canning Step 7:  When done, release pressure completely, and remove lid.  

• Always carefully lift lid toward you like a shield between you and the pressure cooker, so hot steam escapes away from you.  
• Jars will be hot and still boiling, so be very careful handling the jars.  

Canning Step 8:  Gently lift each jar from pressure cooker, and place on cloth to cool and seal.  

Wait for each seal to ,'pop' and should be indented 'in'.  Let completely cool and then store in pantry.  If any jar does not seal, simply refrigerate and use within 5 days just as you would for broth you did not can.  

Check seal every so often, and use within 3 months because any remaining fats and oils from the broth could spread upwards and loosen the seal, spoiling the broth.  

~ Enjoy!