Bone Broth (My Favourite)
An old South American proverb says, “good broth will resurrect the dead.” Perhaps you remember your grandmother feeding you bone broth when you were sick. She had the right idea for sure. Bone broth is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Gelatin found in bone broth can heal your gut while chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine and other components extracted from boiled down cartilage reduce pain and inflammation. In addition, amino acids including glycine, proline, and arginine all contain anti-inflammatory properties that are helpful for reducing whole body inflammation. Be sure to make your bone broth from scratch for best results.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds or more of bones from a healthy source (GRASS FED)
- 1 gallon of water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks of celery
- Optional: 1 bunch of parsley
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- I also add 2 cloves of garlic for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- additional herbs or spices to taste. (I love Bay Leaf)
Instructions
- If you have a Slow Cooker,
- Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker fill with water until its almost to the top (fully filled) and cook in slow for 48 – 72 hours
- During the last 30 minutes, add the garlic and parsley ( other herbs), if using.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain using a fine metal strainer to remove all the bits of bone and vegetable. When cool enough, store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for later use.
- Or
Instructions for traditional cooking
- If you are using raw bones, especially beef bones, it improves flavor to roast them in the oven first. I place them in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes at 350°F.
- Place the bones in a large stock pot.
- Pour cool filtered water and the vinegar over the bones. Let sit for 20-30 minutes in the cool water. The acid helps make the nutrients in the bones more available.
- Rough chop and add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot.
- Add any salt, pepper, spices, or herbs, if using.
- Bring the broth to a boil. Once it has reached a vigorous boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until done.
- During the first few hours of simmering, you’ll need to remove the impurities that float to the surface. A frothy/foamy layer will form, and it can be easily scooped off with a big spoon. Throw this part away. I typically check it every 20 minutes for the first 2 hours to remove this. Grass-fed and healthy animals will produce much less of this than conventional animals.
- During the last 30 minutes, add the garlic and parsley, if using.
- For both methods:
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain using a fine metal strainer to remove all the bits of bone and vegetable. When cool enough, store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for later use.
Notes
This recipe for broth is my favorite and is an adaption of the recipe in Nourishing Traditions.
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