Chicken Feet Soup For Strong Bones, Teeth, And Hair

I was out having some wine the other day with a friend of mine when he started talking about chicken feet soup. At first I was like Eeeew! He continued chatting about how to make it and what health benefits these magic feet held.

They are full of collagen! Collagen is beneficial for maintaining healthy skin, helps absorb calcium and proteins, increases the production of red blood cells, make bone structure stronger and even help you lose weight by increasing the body’s metabolism of fat!

We have all seen those chemical creams that say they have collagen in them. They boost about improving the appearance of fine lines.  Well if you know anything about food as medicine than you know that collagen will work better from the inside out. This means we should be eating it if we want to reap the benefits of stronger bones, teeth and hair!

I will be heading to the farmers market this weekend to get me some chicken feet so I can make nourishing broth for a healthier more vibrant me!

I got the following recipe from Simply Recipes. Try it out and let me know what you think!

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RECIPE

• Yield: Makes approximately 2 quarts

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 pounds of chicken feet

• 2 large carrots, cut in half

• 1 onion, cut into wedges

• 2 celery ribs, cut in half

• 1 bunch of fresh thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 10 peppercorns

METHOD

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Put the chicken feet into a large stock pot and cover with boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes. Use a large metal spoon to skim and discard the scum that rises to the surface.

2. Drain the chicken feet completely. Rinse with cold water so that the feet are cool enough to handle. Using a sharp knife, chop off the tips of the claws and discard. They should cut easily if you cut them through the joint. If any rough patches of claw pad remain, cut them away with a paring knife.

3. Place chicken feet in a clean large stockpot. Fill with cold water to cover the feet by an inch. Add carrots, onions, celery, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, immediately reduce the temperature to low. Partially cover, leave about a half inch crack or so, and keep the stock cooking at a bare simmer, for 4 hours. Occasionally skim any foam that may come to the surface.

4. Uncover, increase the heat slightly to maintain a low simmer with the pot now uncovered. Continue to cook for an hour or two. At this point you are reducing the stock so that it is easier to store. Strain the stock through several layers of cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer (ideally both) into a pot. Pour into quart-sized jars. Let cool for an hour or so before storing in the refrigerator.

5. When your stock has cooled, it should firm up nicely into a gel.

6. Enjoy!