You may have heard of all the benefits of broth. There are plenty of them, particularly when you’re using high-quality ingredients, like our pasture-raised chicken. Here’s just a sample of what’s in this amazing food.
Glutamine. This amino acid’s been shown to help with gut permeability. One study found that it “stabilizes gut barrier function” and reduces secondary infections.
Collagen. Scientists found that supplementing collagen results in more collagen in the skin, improving skin firmness and fighting the signs of aging. Another study looked at athletes over a 24 week period and found that collagen reduces joint pain.
Glycine. A diet with added glycine helps the liver recover from damage from alcohol use. Another study found that glycine helps people who are sleep deprived to function with less sleepiness and daytime fatigue (this is no substitute for actual sleep, but can help people deal with occasional insomnia).
The amazing nutrition in broth that is made from pasture-raised chickens is only one of the reasons to add it to your diet. It’s also a great way to use every part of the chicken, reducing waste. It’s a protein-rich addition to soups and sauces. And maybe best of all, it has a rich, meaty flavor that adds something wonderful to your cooking.
Homemade Chicken Broth
- 1 pasture-raised chicken
- 2-3 carrots, scrubbed and cut in chunks
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2-3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 T peppercorns
- 1-2 T apple cider vinegar
Place all ingredients in a large stock pan. Cover with water. Cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat until it is barely simmering. You will get the clearest broth if it is kept at a very low simmer. Skim off and discard any foam that collects on the surface.
After an hour, remove the chicken and let it cool until it can be handled. Strip the meat off the bones and refrigerate or freeze for another use. This way you can save the meat so it’s not overcooked, but still get all the nutrition out of the bones. Return the bones and scraps to the pot and simmer for another 3 to 23 hours.
Turn off the heat, and when the broth has cooled enough to pour it safely, strain out all the solids. Chill until the layer of fat on the top solidifies, and remove it. Spoon it into containers. Broth will keep in the refrigerator for one week, and in the freezer for three months.
To use leftover bones: Save your chicken bones whenever you make roast chicken or cut meat off the bones for cooking. You can keep them in a container in the freezer until you have enough. It’s good to have about two chickens worth of bones.
If they haven’t been cooked already, you can roast them at 400 for about 20 minutes to add golden color and a rich chicken flavor, but you don’t have to. Now you just use them in the place of the chicken in the above recipe, but this time you don’t have to worry about saving the meat.
Now enjoy your delicious broth! And you can know that you’ve made something that’s not only delicious, it’s powerful nutrition for your whole family.