Homemade Chicken Bone Broth

Ingredients

1-1.5kg chicken bones (such as leftover roasted chicken bones or raw chicken carcasses)

1 onion, peeled & quartered

2 carrots, washed and chopped into chunks

2 celery stalks, washed and chopped into chunks

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 bay leaves

1 tbs black peppercorns

1-2 tbs apple cider vinegar (optional, helps extract minerals from bones)

Water, enough to cover the ingredients (usually about 8 cups)

Salt, to taste

Method

• 1 Prepare the chicken bones. If using leftover roasted chicken bones, remove any excess meat, skin, and fat. For raw chicken carcasses, you can leave some meat on for added flavour.
• 2 In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the prepared chicken bones, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar (if using).
• 3 Pour enough cold water into the pot to cover all the ingredients. You want everything submerged in the water.
• 4 Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently, uncovered, for at least 4-6 hours, or even longer for richer flavour. As it simmers, periodically skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
• 5 Once the broth has simmered to your satisfaction and developed a rich flavour, remove it from the heat. Use a fine-mesh strainer or a cheesecloth-lined colander to strain the broth into a clean container or another pot. Discard the solids.
• 6 Allow the broth to cool for a while at room temperature, then refrigerate it. Once it's chilled, you can remove any solidified fat from the surface with a spoon. You can also freeze the broth in portions for later use.
• 7 When you're ready to use the chicken bone broth, reheat it and season with salt to taste. Use it as a base for comforting soups, stews, sauces, or simply enjoy it as a nourishing, wholesome drink. For an extra boost of protein, mix in a serve of Formulite Flavour-Free Recovery Protein per serve.