Great Broth Makes Great Soup and Simply Delicious Chicken Noodle Soup

Really good chicken noodle soup, or any soup for that matter, begins with a great broth. Soup making has become a lost art in Western culture.  When my youngest was little, and I had extra time on my hands (!) I spent some time studying Chinese cooking.  I checked out literally every book in the library!  During my studying, I discovered the secrets to a great broth.  The following are the tips I gleaned from my reading:

1. The best broth is made from really fresh food. 
2. The next key is bones. Broth doesn't need any meat. Save the meat for putting into the finished product or something else. 
3.  Get rid of the impurities.
4.  The next key is time.
5.  Use real sea salt, and season it well.

Now, here's how to do it:

For whatever type broth, start with the bones, the fresher, the better.  If you have a whole chicken or other poultry, put in all the cartilage, bones, fat and skin that come off the carcass.  Do it as soon as possible after it has been cooked, or after boning the raw meat.  It really doesn't matter if the bones are cooked or raw at the beginning.  If it is beef or pork, the same thing may be done, but I'm finding it is really difficult these days to find a real soup bone.  If there is a way to access the marrow, do that.  A nutcracker would probably work for chicken or turkey bones.  Maybe someone strong could break a beef or pork bone?  The reason being the nutrients that are hiding in the neglected bits, like the skin, fat and marrow, are just the stuff for broth.  The extended cooking time pulls them out and makes them bio-available. 

From WestonAPrice.org "Broth is Beautiful"
Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.


Isn't that cool??

Put the bones and other bits and pieces mentioned above into a pot and cover them with water.  Use at least twice as much water as desired for the finished broth.   Bring the bones, bits and pieces of skin, etc., if available, and water to a boil, then reduce the heat until it is just simmering.

While the broth is coming to a boil, any impurities will come floating to the top in a layer of film and foam.  These are the parts of the broth that are like the dross in a refiner's fire.  Just like the artisan wants his gold to be pure, the soup maker wants to create a beautiful pot of soup.  Those impurities need to come out to create that masterpiece!  Who wants bitter broth or soup with an "off" taste?  Some meats have more impurities than others, but be persistent.  Use a ladle or other large spoon and skim them off the surface until nothing more floats to the top.

Keep the water simmering -- moving, but not furiously -- and cook it for as close to 24 hours as possible.  The longer the soup is cooked, the more of the nutrients it can pull from the bones, etc.  When the broth is finished, it should be a rich, golden color.  That's the gold for which the refiner worked!

Once the broth has cooled enough to be able to be worked with, put a strainer over another pot or large container.  Strain out the bones and bit by pouring the broth into the strainer.  Use the broth as a basis for soup, stew, cooking vegetables, gravy -- anything for which you would use broth.

I don't ever salt my broth until I'm going to use it.  When it's going to be used, season with sea salt.  Sea salt is close to our bodies' natural salinity and helps maintain mineral balance.

Great chicken noodle soup is easy -- start with the broth, above.  Bring the desired amount to a boil, skim it again if necessary, then add noodles. I usually just break up spaghetti noodles. Add chopped carrot and celery.  Bring the noodles and vegetables to a boil.  Again, skim off any impurities that might remain.  Add some parsley and cooked, diced chicken.  Just heat it through, don't boil the chicken.  If it's boiled after cooked, the chicken will end up being shreds rather than chunks. Use sea salt and season to taste. Simply delicious!

Enjoy!!

Blessings,

Sharron