Bone Broth Recipes

[aart]

I get really gelatinous and collagen rich broth from my turkey by simmering for hours without ever using vinegar.

Yup, same here, chicken too.

 

[Parront]

Yup, same here, chicken too.

I have never put vinegar or other acid in my broth/soup. Plenty of "gel" -- maybe the vinegar is to get more calcium into the broth. I remember a science demonstration where you leave a chicken bone in vinegar over-night and it gets flexible & rubbery because the calcium is removed from the bone.

 

[jolenesdad]

Y'all..... Welp.

Last night I thought, "lemme just toss a half a chicken in there. The meat will taste nice added to the broth, too." So I filled up with 8 quarts of water on a half chicken. I haven't opened a half chicken before, and it was frozen so I just put it in.

Anyway, what an idiot. There's no back on the half chicken. I was feeling like there were quite a few more backs than I was really expecting from the processor, and also like my halves were sort of small from what I was expecting them to be.

My broth was not gelatinous at all.

Trial and error! I tried again this morning with two backs, but I really only think I need one. They're huge, like 2 pounds each. It's cooling, and already gelling. Somewhere in the middle is probably the answer.

 

[Parront]

Y'all..... Welp.

Last night I thought, "lemme just toss a half a chicken in there. The meat will taste nice added to the broth, too." So I filled up with 8 quarts of water on a half chicken. I haven't opened a half chicken before, and it was frozen so I just put it in.

Anyway, what an idiot. There's no back on the half chicken. I was feeling like there were quite a few more backs than I was really expecting from the processor, and also like my halves were sort of small from what I was expecting them to be.

My broth was not gelatinous at all.

Trial and error! I tried again this morning with two backs, but I really only think I need one. They're huge, like 2 pounds each. It's cooling, and already gelling. Somewhere in the middle is probably the answer.

So your processor removes the backs from the frozen halves? More meat in the pack to save space in the freezer, I guess. The gelatin is from the collagen in the joints, necks make nice broth that gels, too. Are the necks packaged with the backs? I never took my birds to a processor, there were none to be found in Riverside, CA that would do just a few chickens or ducks. The backs sound pretty meaty, maybe 1 back and the feet would be a nice amount of meat and gelatinous broth. I got some huge over 10 pound Cornish-X that a roasted like a turkey, those bones were the best chicken soup! Lots of breast meat on a 10 pound Cornish cross, we cut that off for sandwiches because you can't eat it all in one dinner, so I can see why you have frozen halves. I just bought a 15 cu ft freezer so that I could freeze them whole. I freeze the necks and feet and gizzards together for soup.

 

[jolenesdad]

So your processor removes the backs from the frozen halves? More meat in the pack to save space in the freezer, I guess. The gelatin is from the collagen in the joints, necks make nice broth that gels, too. Are the necks packaged with the backs? I never took my birds to a processor, there were none to be found in Riverside, CA that would do just a few chickens or ducks. The backs sound pretty meaty, maybe 1 back and the feet would be a nice amount of meat and gelatinous broth. I got some huge over 10 pound Cornish-X that a roasted like a turkey, those bones were the best chicken soup! Lots of breast meat on a 10 pound Cornish cross, we cut that off for sandwiches because you can't eat it all in one dinner, so I can see why you have frozen halves. I just bought a 15 cu ft freezer so that I could freeze them whole. I freeze the necks and feet and gizzards together for soup.

I’m looking into really upscaling my whole poultry operation so ive been trying out the two USDA processors near me.

Spatchcocking the whole birds cooks so nice, I thought it would be the same for a half. It didn’t even register to me that the back wouldn’t be there!

Anyway, yes, I had them give me a bunch of halves and quarters from my last batch for gifts this holiday season for family and friends. It’s perfect, it’s something very near and dear to me, and I’ve already crossed most everyone off my list! Anyway.... I think I only did maybe 15 whole birds out of 65 this summer, the rest were all parted various ways.... which leaves the back.

Yes, the backs have the necks.

This winter I’m going to make sure I keep the feet.

 

[Parront]

I’m looking into really upscaling my whole poultry operation so ive been trying out the two USDA processors near me.

Spatchcocking the whole birds cooks so nice, I thought it would be the same for a half. It didn’t even register to me that the back wouldn’t be there!

Anyway, yes, I had them give me a bunch of halves and quarters from my last batch for gifts this holiday season for family and friends. It’s perfect, it’s something very near and dear to me, and I’ve already crossed most everyone off my list! Anyway.... I think I only did maybe 15 whole birds out of 65 this summer, the rest were all parted various ways.... which leaves the back.

Yes, the backs have the necks.

This winter I’m going to make sure I keep the feet.

That would be a great gift! I know of one small processor in Prescott, but the prices are very high, $300.00 for a pig. I did not see any mention of chicken at all on their web site. Not sure I would even want to find out! But, it sure would be nice to take them in and pick up finished chickens . . .

 

[Mosey2003]

$300 for a whole hog is typical here. Maybe a titch high, but can easily be that if you get a lot of different flavored brats.

 

[Parront]

$300 for a whole hog is typical here. Maybe a titch high, but can easily be that if you get a lot of different flavored brats.

Just showing my age, I guess! My kids spend over$200 on their cable bill, but I can't!

 

[Sequel]

What a great thread! I make bone broth, I got into it when I grew too much cabbage one year and started reading about making sauerkraut, and of course as things go you end up with a whole new way of looking at things. I freeze it in pints and half pint containers and also in ice cube trays which is great for adding a little something to vegetables or rice, etc. I empty the trays into ziploc bags.
I have a large pressure cooker which I use all the time, I also make it in my Crock Pot. Usually I'll start with the pressure cooker, with bones, water, salt and a little splash of ACV. I'll pressure cook the bones for as long as I can, it can be anywhere from an hour to 3 hours. I fish the bones out and put them in the Crock Pot. Add water to that, maybe a splash of vinegar, start it on high till it starts to simmer, then turn it on low and cook it over night.

Meanwhile the liquid that was pressure cooked gets the aromatics added, celery trimmings, carrot peelings, onion ends, green tops from leeks which I save in a bread bag in the freezer. This is also where I add some salt, peppercorns, fresh garlic, and any herbs I have growing, usually rosemary, sage, parsley etc...This is cooked for a much shorter time, maybe 45 minutes or so, I just bring the pressure cooker up to pressure, let it cook for 20 minutes or so, then turn off the stove and let the pressure come down naturally. When this cools, I strain it through a wire strainer, let it drain really well and skim off the fat when it's fully cool. Sometimes I'll put it in a bowl in the fridge till the fat solidifies, it's easy to remove then. Then I'll put into freezer containers or ice cube trays.

Repeat the aromatics with the batch in the Crock Pot the next day or if you don't have time the day after that. I saw a video where some people got 10 boils from a batch of bones. Well good for them, I only have energy for two!

I read somewhere that stock is made with meat and broth is made with bones, but who cares what it's called. Using the whole animal including the bones is traditional and sensible. I love making it, I love eating it and I love anyone who does too! Thanks for this thread and on my bucket list is a dinner at @aart's house with home raised chicken soup!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I totally agree. Call it stock, broth, bone broth, or even bone stock if you want to. There are many different ways to make it and they are all good, no matter what you call it.