Bone broth has been around for centuries and for good reason! Bone broth has been known to help heal the gut, support immune health, and keep hair, skin, and nails healthy. As you carve up your Thanksgiving turkey this year, remember to save the turkey bones to make a batch of homemade bone broth. Here is an easy bone broth recipe and a few helpful tips if you want to turn your Thanksgiving bird into bone broth.

   

Ingredients

- Turkey bones. Save the entire turkey carcass if you can, the more bones the better!
- 1 large white or yellow onion, quartered
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 large celery sticks, sliced
- 5 large garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme

Optional: 1 small handful of Italian parsley
Optional: Leftover turkey organs if you want to add extra flavor to your broth

 

Directions

1. Add all of your ingredients into a large pot then fill with water leaving about two inches at the top so the bone broth has room to simmer. Tip: Use one tablespoon of vinegar for every two quarts of water. 

2. Cover the pot and bring water to a boil. If you are using an extra large pot this should take about 30 minutes.

3. Turn stove top burner down to a low setting and simmer for 12-24 hours. If you don’t feel like using your stove top, use a slow cooker instead. Same directions apply just turn the slow cooker on to the highest setting. 

4. Check the bone broth every 4-6 hours and stir. Option to skim off any foam forming at the top if needed. (This will depend on your turkey bones). Tip: If you notice the water level beginning to decrease, add a few additional cups of water, but remember to re-cover your pot to prevent any evaporation.

5. After 12-24 hours your bone broth is ready to strain. Use either a fine mesh colander or a cheesecloth and discard everything that was cooking in the pot. Your bone broth is now ready to enjoy! Tip: Once cooled, you may notice some fat settling to the top of your bone broth. You can stir it back in or simply skim it off the top, it’s up to you!

Think of bone broth as a blank canvas for your culinary creativity. Anything goes! If you like soothing flavors, add a dash of turmeric or ginger. Prefer bone broth with a kick? Add crushed pepper flakes. Other popular herbs include sage and rosemary. You can also add other vegetables like green onions or leeks for an additional burst of flavor.
 

How to Enjoy Bone Broth

Enjoy bone broth any way you please! Drink a mug in the morning to warm up before work or enjoy a cup before bedtime. You can even take a thermos with you to the office to enjoy mid-day. If drinking bone broth isn’t for you, then use it as a base in all of your fall and winter soups instead. Bone broth can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one year. Be sure to keep your bone broth in an airtight, glass, freezer safe container or pour it into ice cube trays for easy access when cooking.

Show us your batch of bone broth! Tag us on social media and use #SimpleGiftofHealth we can see all of your homemade bone broth recipes and how you enjoy them.