How to Make No-Fuss Bone Broth

Pt. 2 of Back To Basics Homemaker Skills Chapter

When I first started learning to make bone broth I'll admit I was overwhelmed with all the recipes out there and different methods. After some trial and error, I have realised that making bone broth can be so simple. People out there might tell you that you need onions, celery, parsley, a bunch of obscure spices, etc... But in reality to make a good bone broth you only need 3 ingredients (or 4 if you count the water!). In fact, you will probably already have salt and apple cider vinegar in your cupboard already. Just buy a whole chicken for a roast chicken meal this week, and save the bones for bone broth the next day. I have found this is by far the cheapest and easiest way to make bone broth, because you are reusing the bones which you would have tossed from the chicken. A roast chicken can give you 2 meals!

I don't think this recipe needs it, but you can always add vegetables like garlic, onions, celery, carrots, and parsley for more flavour. I will sometimes keep a bag of offcuts for bone broth in my freezer, so any carrot tops, onion peels, etc.. would go in there ready to be added to bone broth.

If you are a beginner, once you have the basics of making chicken bone broth down, you can then go to your local butcher and ask for broth bones. They usually give them to you for free or quite cheaply. I have made broth with pig trotter and pig rib bones, as well as beef bones with marrow. The same principles apply for any bones, really!

Let me show you how to make a no-fuss bone broth!

How to Make No-Fuss Bone Broth

Ingredients: Leftover roast chicken carcass bones (including legs and wing bones), salt & pepper, apple cider vinegar, and filtered water.

Directions: Cover the chicken bones completely with water, add 1-2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and some salt (you can always add more later).Gently simmer on a very low heat for about 6 hours. Strain the bones out. You can add more salt and pepper to taste. Either keep in your fridge for about 5 days or freeze for a few months to add to soups, stir fries, gravy, or to drink on its own.

Note: if you get foam on the top during cooking just skim off, it usually doesn't happen with chicken bones, but will happen with other bones.

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe and how you like it!