I love using my oven in the winter to roast just about anything. About two times per month we roast an organic chicken and then I use the carcass to make stock/broth for soups. I've done this for as long as I can remember and learned it from Ma McCarthy. But years ago, I never knew what a healing superfood I was making until I became a nutritionist. I'm so excited to share this information with you!
Bone broth has many benefits including:
- Wonderful source of very easy-to-digest minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus
- Fantastic source of amino acids. If your broth congeals when it's refrigerated you know you've got lots of gelatin which contains amino acids essential for healthy bones and connective tissue like tendons and ligaments.
- Incredible for the building and the healing of the digestive system. Bone broth helps reduce allergies by aiding in the integrity of the gut lining
- Immune boosting and anti-inflammatory making it very healing for autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, crohn's and colitis
Now that sweet Vienna is ready for eating and drinking more than just breast milk I was super excited to introduce her to bone broth. Guess what? She LOVED it! She's had avocado, sweet potato, applesauce and banana and the bone broth was by far her favourite. Next up she will have some egg yolks -- I'm not going to introduce the white until much later.
She's having about 2 tbsp per day of the broth because breast milk is still the main source of her nutrition. Solids and broth will only be complementary to breast milk for a few more months as I don't want to "wean" her for a while yet. As you can see in this photo, we spilled quite a bit of the broth.. ugh! It's like liquid gold that stuff.
From joint health, to reducing heartburn, skin, hair, nails and bone health — bone broth is a mighty powerful superfood for babies and adults alike.
I strongly recommend you use certified organic chicken or from a local farmer who you are familiar with their farming practices to get the most nutritious bone broth possible.
Here’s my recipe for bone broth, it is incredibly flavourful, nourishing and delicious:
Mains & Sides
Simple Chicken Bone Broth
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Ingredients
- 1 organic chicken carcass
- 1/2 cup chopped organic carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped organic celery
- 1-2 tbsp raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
- Filtered water, enough to cover ingredients
Instructions
- Place carcass and vegetables in a large soup pot on stove top. Pour enough water to just cover ingredients.
- Bring to a soft boil and reduce to a simmer for 12 to 24 hours.
- Strain solid contents from broth. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for longer.
- Mine reduced down to about 3 cups of broth but I didn't have a large carcass to begin with.
Some more notes about this bone broth:
- In case you’re wondering, the apple cider vinegar (acv) helps draw out the minerals from the bone matrix. Don’t worry, it won’t make your broth taste like ACV!
- The vegetables help to increase the mineral content as well.
- As for skimming off the fat after refrigerating it.. I never do. This fat is essential for brain health, skin health and makes the broth super tasty so I just leave it.
- Wondering why I didn’t add herbs or onions or garlic like I normally do? This is because I made this batch for Vienna and I’m not introducing those foods just yet. That’s why I called it “Simple Chicken Bone Broth”. Even though I didn’t add these ingredients it was still incredibly flavourful.
Want to learn more? These fantastic article from Paleo Leap and Wellness Mama goes over these benefits in much more detail.
I put it in ice cubes for the bean so that I can give her one per day. I've got about one month worth of it!
I hope you love this healing recipe as a base for all your favourite soups or just to sip on a cold winter's day.
This is great. I like to roast the bones a little before I throw them in the pot. Adds a different flavour and renders off some of the fat that can end up as a brown foam. I'm with you though - post freezing, leave that fat on the top and use it :)
ReplySounds awesome!
Wow, never seen a recipe for brith to simmer for so long! I guess you extract more nutrients this way?
ReplyI am vegan so, I cannot promote this recipe. Organic or no organic, go & check out where this animal lives. Otherwise, you come up with a lot of good info.
ReplyGreat article, as always! I have made broth a number of times by placing all my ingredients into my slow cooker and setting it for 10hrs on low overnight, sometimes a second time for 8hrs on low after that. It comes out wonderfully and definitely is that lovely thick and gelatinous consistency when it's all done and cooled. Mmmmm!!
ReplyThanks Joy for everything you do, you have changed the way my family and I eat and live and I am so grateful. I have a baby a wee bit older than your sweet Vienna so I love the posts about baby nutrition. I have a quick question for you.. I see you freeze the broth, how do you defrost it? Or any other home made baby food for that matter? Microwave or other? Also, I just did your post natal meal plan about a month ago and loved it. Made me feel a ton better. I especially loved the salmon recipe. Thanks!
ReplyHi Laurie, We're not huge fans of microwaves over here at Joyous Health. When I defrost stuff, I just take it out of the freezer first thing in the morning and let it thaw on the counter. Hope this helps! Kate - Joyous Health Team
Hello! I am very interested in making this bone broth for my baby girl.. I am just wondering about the first step in the process, cooking the chicken. What is the recipe that you used to roast the chicken? Did you use any spices/herbs to season it? Or was it just plain? Also, did you add the bone broth to anything before giving it to vienna, so it was thicker? Or did you just give it to her as a liquid on a spoon? Looking forward to hearing from you! It seems like a yummy recipe! Thanks!
ReplyHi Brittney, Joy just plain roasted the chicken first before using it for the bone broth. And then she just fed Vienna the bone broth as is once it was done. She loved it! Kate - Joyous Health Team
Hi , if you roast the chicken with a blend of spices but pull off all meat touching the spices to make the broth is that to risky for baby broth ? Thanks :)
ReplyHi Virginia, It would depend on the spices. And since they infuse into the chicken when cooking, it would be impossible for even the most diligent hand to avoid all the spices. Kate - Joyous Health Team
Hi! I've tried making bone broth twice now, and once it's done & in the fridge for a while, mine is not gelatinous. Any suggestions on this? Does it have to be gelatinous in order for there to be plenty of nutrients? Thanks!
ReplyHi Marissa! There is still tons of wonderful nutrients in bone broth even if it doesn't gel in the fridge. It all depends on how much collagen was in the bones. Next time, try leaving a bit more of the connective tissue on the chicken before making the broth. That might help :) Enjoy! Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy! Have you found an efficient way to feed V the broth? I have been cooking carrots and sweet potato in the broth (crock pot) and then blending them for my 6mo baby. Do you think he's still getting the benefits of the stock by eating it this way? Or would the nutrients be cooked out of the veggies having them in the slow cooker for so many hours...making it counter productive..?? I just can't figure out how else to give it to him as it clogs his bottle!! Thank you!! :))
ReplyI give it to her on a spoon or put some in her sippy cup -- which she is just learning to use. That's a great way to use the stock. As long as you are not tossing out the liquid from the crockpot then you are getting all the goodness because minerals will leach out of veggies and go into the water. Hope that helps!
Hi Joy! When is it okay to start giving the bone broth? I read in Sprout Right that meat shouldn't be given until later, like 8-9 months. Does the same advice apply for bone broth because of the enzymes?
ReplyWhat are your thoughts about the bone broth protein powders that they are talking about now a days??
ReplyHey Lucia! They sure have gotten popular, but we've been too busy enjoying the real deal that we haven't tried any yet! Whole foods are always best, but depending on how the product is processed and the ingredients, it has potential to be a good product but it will really depend on the quality. I hope that helps! Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy! Can't wait to make that for my babe! Can you share where you bought the ice cube tray in the picture above? They're so hard to find? It's vegetable silicon, right? Thanks!
ReplyHi Maryse! Joy found this one at HomeSense. You may also be able to get them on Amazon.com. Happy hunting :) Heather- Joyous Health Team
Hi Joy! So I forgot you had a baby version of your chicken broth and I made your regular recipe.....are you recommending to not feed it to my 6 months old yet? I did not think about the onions and garlic at all! I can always wait and make another batch for him but was so excited to made him try it! Also, I was thinking of giving him quinoa to try, what are your thoughts and recos on that front? When did you introduce it to Vienna? My lil guy will be 7 months in 2 weeks. Thanks! Maryse
ReplyHi Maryse! Thanks for reaching out. It really depends on how many foods you have introduced into his diet already. Has he had onions or garlic in other foods? If not, perhaps try introducing them one by one before trying the bone broth. I think quinoa would be a great introductory food for grains. Feel free to experiment with it at this age if you feel it's the right time. :) Heather- Joyous Health Team
I just cooked a whole chicken with organic garlic powder on the skin and lemon inside the carcas. It was then in the oven with rice and organic chicken broth(bouillon cube). I rinsed the carcas in the colander but wondering if you think I should avoid the bone broth with my daughter who is six months?
ReplyHi Erin. It really depends on how many (if any) foods you have introduced to her at this point but I think it would be just fine. You could start off giving her a few Tbsp every so often (like Joy did with Vienna) and see how she does. Also, check the ingredients on your bouillon cubes. Even the organic ones can have added gums, salt and thickeners that might be best for your little one to avoid, but I wouldn't be too worried about it especially since you rinsed off the carcass. I hope that helps! Heather- Joyous Health Team
This is a good recipe, thanks for sharing it. Will try this one of these days. But since I'm always on the go, I drink Au Bon Broth and it's really good. I felt the changes in my health almost instantly.
ReplyHey Soleil, Yes, bone broth is mega healing! Let us know if you get a chance to try it :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Thank you for sharing this. I'm surprised you're already introducing this to your baby already but it's healthy so I guess it's good. I'd like to make my own one someday but I'm just too busy. I'm drinking Au Bon Broth and I really love its taste.
ReplyHey Cameron, It's super nourishing and great to help build the integrity of their gut. It seems like it would take a while but once you pop it into the crock pot, its really not so bad :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hi! I am pescetarian but have been wondering about chicken bone broth, since I have friends who also speak highly of it. Do you have a recipe for using fish bone? Or would I just substitute fish bone in this recipe (if I can get my hands on a really large fish carcass)?
ReplyHey Helen, Bone broth is super nourishing for the gut, but you won't find the collagen and gut healing supportive nutrients in fish bones. You could look into a vegetarian source of collagen though like WithinUs Trumarine Collagen, which is Joy's preferred source of vegetarian collagen :) Hope that helps! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hello Joy 👋🏼 Shouldn’t we add salt ?
ReplyHey Shifana, Yes, you can definitely add 1 tbsp of real sea salt :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hello - I tried this recipe and the broth boiled down to almost nothing; it yielded approx. 1 cup (if even). Did I do something wrong? Maybe my temp was too high? I'd appreciate any insight! I'd definitely like to try this again.
ReplyHey Liz, It could have evaporated faster if your heat was too high or if you used more vegetables than the recipe called for which would've absorbed the water. Alternatively, you can now use it as a concentrate and water it down when you're using the broth :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Can I use an entire uncooked chicken in a pot and make bone broth? Or are you suppose to use just the carcass(bones)? If you can use the entire chicken, should I skim the fat because I'm using the skin?
ReplyIt's not going to be very tasty chicken if you simmer it for 6 hours or more. I would definitely recommend cooking the chicken first by roasting it, eating all the meat off of it and then using the carcass to make the broth.
This is a super yummy recipe for Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken: https://www.joyoushealth.com/27273-blog-lemon-garlic-roast-chicken
Hi Joy, love all your recipe but I am wondering is it ok to make a bone broth from organic grass fed beef bones. I got a beef order and along with it i was given the bones. I have them in my freezer for now as I don't know how to make bone broth from beef. Do I do it the same way as you make your chicken bone broth? Thank you for your help! You are amazing and I love following you. Blessings W.
ReplyYes, same method, different bones. And thank you Wendy for your compliment :)
Hi there, Just want to clarify whether the lid should be off for the entire simmering time (12-24 hours)? Thanks!
ReplyIt can be slightly ajar. If the lid is completely off then a lot of the liquid will evaporate. Enjoy!
Hey! I currently have this simmering on my stove :) I'm wondering if you can re-use the bones? Also, what do you think if the bone broth you can by frozen or in powders?
ReplyI've tried organic bone broth powder and it's not bad. I just find the taste is nothing like the real thing so I'm a fan of doing it yourself which you're doing - yay! If I'm too lazy to make it I just buy house-made broth from my local health food store or local butcher shop.
Hi! I’m just wondering if you let it simmer covered or uncovered? Thanks for any help!
ReplyI would keep the lid ajar when it's simmering so the steam condenses on the lid and falls back into the pot.