Chicken Bone Broth Powder
Slow-cooked broth, dehydrated to a spoonable powder. A hot drink, a noodle base, or the foundation of a dinner.
- calories
- 60
- weight
- 0.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 120
- protein
- 9 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 30 min
- cook
- 3 min
- total time
- 33 min
- water
- 250 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Drink
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Winter / snow
- Basecamp
- Car camping
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Chicken frames, wings, backs, and skin | 3 lb | roast carcasses and trimmings both work |
|---|---|---|
| Onion | 1 large | quartered, skin on |
| Carrot | 2 | |
| Celery | 2 stalks | |
| Bay leaf | 2 | |
| Black peppercorns | 1 tsp | |
| Salt | 1 tsp | add at the end, not the start |
| Water | enough to cover | about 3 quarts |
| Cider vinegar | 1-2 tbsp | optional; pulls more collagen, costs some flavor |
Method
- At home: put bones, skin, vegetables, bay, and peppercorns in a slow cooker or stockpot. Cover with water. Hold it just under a simmer for 12 to 24 hours. Longer means more protein.
- Strain through a fine sieve, then chill overnight. Lift off the fat cap and keep it for cooking; it will not dehydrate.
- Check the set. Cold broth should be firm jelly. If it pours, reduce it further and chill again.
- Salt to taste, then spread the jelly thin on lined dehydrator trays. Run at 135F until it is brittle and glassy, 10 to 18 hours.
- Grind the shards to powder in a spice grinder or blender. Cool completely before it goes in a jar or it will clump.
- In camp: boil 250 ml of water, stir in a heaped tablespoon, and let it sit a minute to dissolve.
Commercial bone broth powder is priced like a supplement. Made at home it costs whatever the bones cost, which is often nothing. The point of the long cook is collagen: it converts to gelatine, which is why a good batch sets solid in the fridge. That set is your quality check before you ever turn the dehydrator on. Broth that stays liquid when cold will dry to something thin and salty.
Skim the fat before drying. Fat does not dehydrate and it will turn the powder rancid in a pack. Protein per spoonful is a guess by nature; homemade broth varies with how long you ran it and how much skin went in. Nine grams is a fair estimate for a heaped tablespoon of a batch that set firm. The powder is hygroscopic, so a clumped jar means air got in and the clock on it is shorter than you think.
Packing
Store the jar with a desiccant packet at home. Portion single servings into small bags or a pill bottle for the trail. This powder pulls moisture out of the air fast, so keep it sealed.
Variations
- Use it in place of the flavor sachet in instant noodles.
- Stir a spoonful into a dinner rehydrating in the pot for protein and body.
- A pinch of dried chili and a squeeze of lemon powder makes the plain cup drinkable for days on end.
https://slowerhiking.com/slower-hiking-recipes-part-2/dehydrated-chicken-bone-broth-powder