Don't Throwaway the Bones!

If you cook a big turkey or chicken this week for your family, don’t throw the bones away. Instead, Use them to make a nutrient-filled bone broth and use it as the base for your favorite soup. This will help you and your family heal your guts after all of those holiday sweets!

Meat and fish stocks provide building blocks for the rapidly growing cells of the gut lining and they have a soothing effect on any areas of inflammation in the gut.  That is why they aid digestion and have been known for centuries as healing folk remedies for the digestive tract.  Do not use commercially available soup stock granules or bullion cubes, they are highly processed and are full of detrimental ingredients.  

To make good meat stock you need to use the whole turkey (or chicken) carcass.  It is essential to use bones and joints, as they provide the healing substances, not so much the muscle meats. Make sure the meat is antibiotic, hormone free, and ideally from a local farmer.  If you do not have that option available, it is ok.

Meat Stock Recipe

Ingredients:

• bones of one turkey (or chicken)
• 4 bay leaves
• 1-2 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 gallon filtered water

Directions:

In either a large stock pot or crock pot, place all bones and any juices from roasting the meat. Cover meat bones with gallon of water. Add in apple cider vinegar & bay leaves. On stovetop bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer for at least 4 hours – preferably longer up to 8 hours. If using crock pot, cook on high for 1-2 hours and then reduce to low for 8 hours or overnight. Cool stock and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a stock pot to make soup or into freezer safe containers.

The meat  stock will keep well in the fridge for at least 7 days or it can be frozen.