Place chicken or beef bones into a large stock pot and cover with water. Fill the pot with filtered water and leave room for water to boil.
Add two tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or wine to water prior to cooking. The acidity helps pull out important nutrients from the bones.
Heat slowly. Bring to a boil and remove any scum as it rises, then reduce heat to simmer for a minimum of six hours. Chicken bones can cook for six to forty-eight hours. I usually cook mine for thirty-six hours. Beef bones can cook for twelve to seventy-two hours. A long and slow cook time is necessary in order to fully extract the nutrients in and around bone. If you don’t have a gas stove, use a crockpot. You will not be able to control temperature with an electric stovetop.
After cooking, allow the broth to cool and transfer to several glass mason jars. Leave about an inch of room at the top for expansion if you plan to store in the freezer (I learned that the hard way!). A layer of fat will harden on top once it’s refrigerated. This layer protects the broth beneath. Discard this layer only when you are about to eat the broth. Consume broth within one to two weeks or freeze for later use.
