Super Bones
The most nutritious meat bones to look for:
1. Marrow bone
2. Knuckle bones
3. Feet/trotters/hooves
4. Tails, such as oxtail
Poultry and pork feet yield plenty of thick gelatin. Lamb shank is easy to cook and an excellent source of marrow. Ham bones and ham hocks are perfect for split pea and ham soup.
Poultry Bones
Carcasses – Save and cook after you have carved the bird:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Duck
For Bones – After you have eaten the meat off the bones, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken-freeze and store until you have a stock pot’s worth of bones to boil up. And, ask for bones at the supermarket-after the poultry has been de-boned or the flesh removed for ground meat.
Fish
Source at the fish market or supermarket:
- Fish heads and skeletons after the fish has been filleted
- Salmon and other fish steaks with the bone in-eat the fish, freeze the bones, until you have a stock pot’s worth of bones to boil up.
Beef, Lamb, Pork, Ham Bones
- Source at your supermarket, or local butcher or farmer’s market.
- Whole Foods Market – Check the freezer section for bags of bones.
- Online – Check for bone broth bones from organic farms and ranches.
- Local farms – Ask your local farmer to set aside some bones for you. In most cases, these bones will still have meat on them, so you will be getting high-quality food for pennies.
A combination of marrow and knuckle bones will give you a rich broth with lots of nutrition and gelatin from the knuckles. Feet will yield a lot of thick gelatin. Check the meat aisle in your local supermarket for packages of bones for soup or stew.
Ask the butcher to cut your marrow bones into 2 or 3 inch pieces so they will fit into the pot easily.
Other Sources of Bones – Any meat you eat with a bone in it. Freeze until you have a full stock pot of bones to boil up. Roast the bones for 20 minutes in a 400F oven to enhance the flavor.
Wild Game
If you know any hunters, ask them for the bones. Try venison, rabbit, wild boar. Ask if they can cut up the long bones into 2 to 3 inch pieces if it is a large animal. Farmed bison will work well; you can buy the bones online.
Cooking Times
Poultry Bones – Cook for 12 to 24 hours. The most nutrient rich bones are poultry feet! Find a source!
Fish Bones – Bring to a light boil and then simmer for 12 to 24 hours.
Beef, Lamb, Pork, Ham Bones – Bring to a light boil and then simmer 24 to 72 hours. A combination of marrow and knuckle bones will give you a rich broth with lots of nutrition and gelatin from the knuckles. Lamb shank is easy to cook and an excellent source of marrow. Ham bones and ham hocks are perfect for split pea and ham soup.
Wild Game – Bring to a light boil and then simmer 24 to 72 hours.
Preparation Tip! Freeze until you have a full stockpot of bones to boil up.
Flavor Tip! Roast the bones for 20 minutes in a 400F oven to enhance the flavor.
For more information about Bone Broth see Bone Broth – Superfood?
