If you're a soup lover like I am then you know how expensive broths can be, especially if you want the organic stuff! So I make my own vegetable, bone, beef and chicken broths. This way I can avoid yucky ingredients and chose my flavor. This is so super simple anyone can do it! Here's what you'll need:
Crockpot, Stockpot or a dutch oven. I prefer Crockpot.
Bag of veggies. Now I save all my ends, skins and any limp or bruised veggie. As I'm cooking I just throw the cast offs in a freezer sized Ziplock bag and once it's full I can make vegetable broth.
I get knuckle bones from my butcher and whole chickens and on a super good day chicken feet!! You can also use lamb, pork, etc..
Water
Herbs (optional)
Strainer
Cheesecloth
Mason jars & canning supplies
Canner
That's it! Take your bag of veggies (save the bag for next time!), dump into the crockpot, add some herbs if ya want. I like rosemary, thyme, parsley (my parsley plant is HUGE), basil, chives, etc...Add water to fill and cook! I leave my crockpot on for 2 days on low.
If you're making bone broth just throw the bones in the pot with water. Knuckle bones I can't break but chicken or other smaller more delicate bones i break them to help release the collagen. I also will throw in some dehydrated herbs (or fresh if it's harvest season) but I never add salt (yuck!).
Once it's done cooking I strain the broth then I filter it through cheesecloth just to get all the little pieces. Into the pressure canner they go and VOILA!!! Homemade broth!!! I love that i can add Rosemary to my chicken broth, I can make my veggie broth with lots of garlic and a little kick (pepper ends) & my beef broth isn't salted. You can tailor your broth and soup any way you like!!
I store mine in a dark cabinet and use when needed. I even like to sip it on cold days or when I just need that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from soup and broth! Also make great gifts, especially for someone that like to cook and prefers homemade over store bought!
If you dont have a pressure canner just put in jars, store in the fridge and make as you need it! I like to spend a weekend making a bunch that way I'm good for awhile. I also make smaller jars of bone broth that I keep in the fridge and sip on...it's THAT good!!!
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