Today I have a quick kitchen craft for you. I am all for saving money and using things I already have so when I found this DIY a few years ago, I made it all the time. To make chicken or beef broth, you boil raw bones and release a bunch of flavor in your water. I rarely buy raw bone-in meats and when I do, I cook with the bone in for flavor. That doesnβt leave much in the bone for a good strong broth. However, I do cook with a lot of fresh vegetables.
When you cook with a lot of veggies, you end up with a lot of scraps. Peels, seeds, ends, and peppers that are a little too soft to eat. As you cook, simply collect these scraps in a gallon baggie and put it in the freezer. You can keep this bag in the freezer for up to 6 months, but mine never takes that long to fill up. Once your bag is full, itβs time to get cooking.
Pick a large pot, big enough to fit your frozen vegetables. Pour your veggies in the pot and cover them in water. It should only be enough water to just cover them, not for them to float and fill the pot. Bring the water to a boil β itβll take a while since everything is frozen. I usually keep a lid on it in the beginning and once it starts to boil, I take the lid off. Keep boiling for 20-30 minutes before lowering to a simmer. Keep simmering for at least 2 or 3 hours. The vegetables will start to cook down and lose color and some of the water will cook off. Next, put your colander or strainer in a large bowl and pour your broth and veggie mix inside of it. I usually let my vegetables drain for an hour or so before I put them in my compost. Now you have broth!!
To store, just put it in a jar in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks or in the freezer for a few months. I leave mine unsalted so I can season soup or use it easily for one skillet meals. As you can see in the pictures, I did add chicken bones from a rotisserie chicken to the broth I made this time. Thatβs the awesome thing about making your own broth! You can put whatever you want in it β just keep an eye on how many spicy peppers you put in. One time, I had a solid 6 jalapenos in it and didnβt even think about how spicy it was going to beβ¦ oops. And here is a picture of the yummy chicken, veggie, noodle soup I made with half of my broth. π As always, if you take any fun pictures or videos, tag me on Instagram @SmileMakePeopleWonder and use the hashtag #DandelionSmiles. Donβt forget to subscribe so you donβt miss out on the next exciting idea!
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