Get a whole chicken. Roast the whole thing, remove the meat for eating, use the bones for broth. Or cut up the chicken, if you prefer cooking the individual pieces. Set aside the back and wing tips for broth, adding the bones from the rest of the bird as they become available. You can quite safely use the bones left on the plate after dinner; the heat & long cooking time will be sufficient. Or you could check if the market has any "family packs" of chicken pieces.

Loving the pics of the old crock pots! Nothing is built to last like that anymore which is such a shame.

That sounds like a good idea. I've got a bunch of chicken legs left over from my last few butcher box orders sitting in my freezer. I think I'll try using them.

You said it sister ;)

I just cooked some chicken soup with 4 thighs, celery and onions and lots of herbs. So easy and so good and filling!

My original "Crock Watcher", bought in the late 1970s/early 1980s, is still going strong. About 8 years ago I decided to upgrade, just because the first one was looking really dated, and I thought a new one might be better, for some reason. I was, in fact, ready to toss the old one out, on the premise that I only needed one. Turns out, the only advantage the new one has over the old is size. The old one has a feature which I love; it can be set to be on high until it reaches heat, about 1 & a half hours, and then switches automatically to low. New ones don't do that. Also, the temps on new ones appear to be higher than in the old ones, which isn't always a good thing. Needless to say, I never tossed the dated old one, and have, on occasion (Thanksgiving mostly) found that I don't mind having 2 slow cookers at all.

That sounds perfect. Can I ask what you cooked it in? Crockpot, Instant Pot, stovetop? Also, what herbs do you prefer to use?

I cooked it on the stove in a big pot.
The herbs I used this time were thyme, poultry seasoning, bay leaves s&p.
I think that was it.
Oh wait, toward the end of cooking I had a couple of sprigs of parsley from trimming a plant so I threw that in too.

Was it gelatinous due to protein content? I'm not familiar enough with bone broth I guess.

My mother always hosted Thanksgiving dinner. Her house was more or less central; we had all grown up there, it was Home. As the only daughter, I ended up doing most of the cooking, but I didn’t mind; this was the kitchen I learned how to cook in, and I have always felt that Thanksgiving dinner is the easiest meal of the year to cook - you don’t have to to think about it; it is what it is, and don’t you dare change it! One year mother insisted that I take the turkey carcass home with me (1 1/2 hour drive) because she couldn’t face any more turkey broth. She was unable to consider throwing out the carcass, but she couldn’t face having more broth in her freezer. I took it home, but my husband said “never again”, because of the smell, in the car. I take after my mother: I cannot throw out bones that could make broth or soup. I actually tried it once; my freezer was full, I had a chicken carcass, I had the garbage bag open and ready to accept it, and wasn’t able to do it. Chicken stock was made, and room was found. And I realized I was, indeed, my mother’s daughter.

Yes, that's how they make Jell-o. Gelatin is the protein (or group of proteins?) that makes it jelly-like. I think most of it comes from joints and connective tissues. It also makes up our joints and connective tissues. :)

I suppose it would also depend on how much water you used, and how much cooked out. :idea:

Okay guys; I'm ready to try this. :) I have chicken leg bones. I plan to simmer them in 1 gallon water with 2 tbsp ACV tomorrow night for 12 hours.
Any tips?

I use a 7 quart crock pot and cook for 48 hours, so twice a day I add 3-5 cups due to evaporation. Just keep in mind that you have to add as it gets reduced, which leads to a richer broth - so you're not watering it down.

I do add some extra water during cooking time .. just enough to ensure everything stays covered with liquid. However, when it's done I strain out all solid scraps then return the liquid broth back to the crock (or inner pot if I've used my pressure cooker). Then I crank up the heat, leave the lid off and let it bubble away for at least 15 or 20 minutes to reduce by about half. It's easier to store 2 quarts of concentrated broth than a whole gallon :idea:. I freeze the broth in 2 cup portions .. then add extra water as necessary at time of use.

If I don't freeze it, how long will it keep in frig? can I freeze tupperware? i'm using a soup pot; i don't have a slowcooker.