Homemade Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Chicken Bone Broth

Bone broth is SO nutrient dense but not a staple in most modern diets. The stuff you buy in the store or the "Campbells Chicken Soup" that you might have eaten as a kids was definitely not the chicken broth that'll boost your immune system. REAL bone brother however will boost your immune system and keep your body healthy in many other ways. Bone broth is packed full of minerals that are extracted from the bones during the cooking process, it is also full of collagen, an amino acid that most people are lacking because we only eat the muscle meat and not the whole animal. Collagen supports the health of our joint, ligaments, nails, hair and skin. Our bodies actually decrease the ability of producing collagen on its own once we hit our mid 30's so getting in extra will boost our ability to fight wrinkles and cellulite. The other amino acids present such a glycine and proline are very healing to our gut!!

Plain and simple bone broth is a superfood that we all should incorporate more if not daily into our diet. I try to make a batch at least 1-2 times a week and drink it warm every day. Chicken broth is the most palatable for me, but others like beef broth better. It is actually good to rate and try different types because different animal bones will have slightly different benefits. Real broth at the store can be very expensive, but making your own is cost effective and simple. I personally have found using my Crock Pot is an easy way for me with my busy schedule. On Wednesdays Whole Foods has their sale on rotisserie chickens so we buy one or two for the week to use in meals and lunch and then use the bones and carcass for broth. If you know farmers many times they will give you their chicken feet for a cheap price. And make sure to save your Turkey bones from holidays. I do want to add like your meat you really want to strive to get pastured or at least organic raised bones. You don't want to be leaching nasty chemicals and antibiotics into your broth during the cooking process.

It really is so simple by using a slow cooker. I just add everything to my Crock Pot and cook slowly on low heat for at least 24 hours! The broth cooks while we are asleep and we can leave the house and not worry about turning off the stove. I also recently purchased an Instant Pot, so I will be trying my broth in that next which supposedly only takes 1/3 of the time. I'll make sure to post on that when I do!! I also have to add a side not that I have been incorporating bone broth into my daughter's diet since she was about 6 months old. it is a great first food since it is easy for them to drink an such a better choice than sugary drinks like juice! I hope this recipe will be an easy way for all of you to get some bone broth into your diet on a regular basis!!

Servings: Yields approximately 9-10 cups after cooking

Ingredients:

3 QT/ 12 Cups of filtered Water
1 Carcass of a chicken plus 2-3 feet or an extra neck or several large Beef Marrow Bones ( whole foods or other butchers will usually sell necks and feet super cheap if you ask them, or ask your local farmer)
1 Large Carrot
2 stalks of Celery
1/2 large Onion ( you don't even have to people it)
1/2 bulb Garlic (leave skin on)
1 TBSP Sea Salt or more to taste
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp whole Peppercorns

Directions:

Add your water along with the bones/carcass and remaining ingredients into your Crock Pot or other slow cooker.
Set your Crock Pot or slow cooker on low heat and cook for 24 hours. You can cook longer if you want but you don't want to cook much less than 24 hours. The longer you cook the more minerals are extracted from the bones.
When broth is done make sure to allow it to cool then strain the bones and vegetables out of the broth into glass jars. ( I try to stay away from plastics as they can leach out toxic chemicals in both hot, warm and cold water).
Store your broth in your fridge and consume within 5-7 days. I also like to freeze some in silicone ice trays or in others large containers for when I need some and don't have any freshly made.