How to Make Bone Broth

The best post I've seen for making and using bone broth is from Wellness Mama.  If you're not already sold on the benefits of homemade broth read Wellness Mama's article and I think you'll be convinced that homemade broth is one of the easiest, healthiest foods to make for your family.  

I'm not going to reinvent the wheel, so I'm just going to link to her post - How To Make Bone Broth - and add the basic information here for quick reference.  You can also use a slow cooker, but I've found that the flavor is richer in broth that is simmered on the stove.  It does, however, require quite a bit of "babysitting" (I've left the pot on the stove unattended, but not for more than an hour or two), so if you're not going to be home much while the broth cooks the slow cooker is the way to go.

One last note, although the optional ingredients are not an absolute necessity I think you'll be amazed at the difference parsley, garlic, sea salt, and peppercorns make.  Don't skip those unless you have to.

1 gallon filtered water

2 pounds (or more) of bones from a healthy source
2 chicken feet for extra gelatin (optional)
1 onion
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Optional: 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tablespoon or more of sea salt, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 2 garlic cloves, additional herbs or spices to taste

Soak the bones in water and apple cider vinegar for 30 minutes.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and let the broth barely simmer for 24-48 hours (check Wellness Mama's post for details on how long).  Add the optional ingredients during the 30 minutes of cooking.  Strain the finished broth and store in the refrigerator or freeze for later use.