Bone broths are wonderfully nutritious and can be sipped on their own, or added to soups, stews, or when cooking grains like rice.

To begin, use meaty bones. You can use raw ones, or bones left over from another meal, such as poultry carcasses or beef rib bones. I save bones in the freezer until I have enough to make a broth. There are many recipes to be found online, but here is a basic guideline:

  • Place bones in a large pot, and add cold, fresh water to cover. For every 3 quarts of water add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and stir. Let the mixture rest for a half hour. The vinegar helps draw out minerals and gelatins from the bones.
  • Let the mixture come to a boil, and skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface. After skimming, you can add an onion, a couple of carrots, some celery, and maybe some peppercorns to the water for extra flavor. The vegetables will be cooking for a long time, so there’s no need to chop them into small pieces.
  • Lower the heat to a bare simmer. For poultry bones cook between 6 and 48 hours. For meat bones cook between 12 and 72 hours. The longer you cook the bones, the more rich the flavor.
  • Season with salt to taste, and strain. Once the broth has cooled you can put it into jars and keep in the freezer — or you can pour some into ice cube trays for adding small amounts to soups, stews, sauces, or grains.

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