No Bones About It

There’s no question. Bones add flavor. Whether it’s in a stock for soup or in a grilled chop, the flavor boost from bones is incredible.

Stock Up

What’s even more impressive is that bones add flavor without adding salt. When boiled down, they release their collagen and create a wonderful mouthfeel that can’t be replicated. This allows you to add whatever herbs, spices, and yes, salt, to your final dish.

Chicken and turkey bones are the easiest and cheapest to turn into stock or broth. And you probably already have them from a leftover turkey or a few rotisserie chickens. Thankfully, poultry bones only take a few hours simmering on the stove to create a delicious stock.

Don’t Touch the Bone

And let’s not forget the value of cooking with bone-in. When grilling, bone-in chicken will not only add flavor over its boneless brethren, but will also keep from drying out. For slow cooked or braised meats, bone-in pork or lamb shoulder will add tons of flavor depth without added any salt.

And we can’t forget about a nice steak or chop. A bone-in ribeye or NY strip steak will cook better on the grill and make it easier to cook. My favorite year round cut to grill is a thick cut bone-in pork chop. When there’s just a little fat marbling in the meat, it makes for the perfect weekend cook out.

What’s your favorite bone-in protein? Share in the comments below!

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