After Thanksgiving, we revel over leftovers. It’s half the reason I love hosting. Leftovers seem to make the laughter and joy last a little longer. BUT. I also love getting all that I can out of that bird. I paid $16 for this delicious, organic, 17lb turkey. Its meat fed my eight guests with plenty of leftovers, but there is more to this bird. The bones are GOLD.
Once we pick all the meat off, the entire carcass and some of the roasted vegetables go in a massive pot and it is filled with water. I boil that bird for 24 hours. Don’t skimp on time here, it takes all those hours to get the nutrients out. The joints break down, the bones start to disintegrate, the vegetables mostly disappear into this broth. This is bone broth; not just water boiled with a little meat, but a broth filled with marrow and protein, glucosamine and minerals. Once you are done boiling your broth, strain out all the bits with a fine strainer and chill. Once the broth is chilled, all fat will float to the top. Skim that off and chuck it (unless you like to cook with it – some love the flavor – I don’t use it enough to keep it). Divvy into usable portions and freeze up to 1 year. For $16 I not only got turkey meat, but the equivalent of about 12 cartons of organic broth (only better).
Bone broth is extremely nutritious and it has helped keep my freakishly tall husband’s joints healthy while he tries to destroy them running obstacle course races across the country. It also works perfectly as a regular broth replacement in recipes. Yum!
Crafty Bridge 