With the cooler weather we are entering one of my favorite times of the year – soup season! And with that comes one of the very best superfoods for your body: BONE BROTH! Quite possibly the most super of them all, yet easily overlooked and cast aside as "just soup". So sad.
Making bone broth was super intimidating to me when I first started learning about all of its benefits. May I remind you that it wasn’t that long ago I was awkward and uncertain in the kitchen, seriously lacking in cooking skills? But eventually I couldn't ignore bone broth’s perks. They outweighed my lack of confidence, and so I began making this delicious elixir at home.
Bone broth is one of the most healing foods you can consume. It's a supreme immune support, overall anti-inflammatory, and is rich in nutrients that heal your skin and digestive tract.
Bone broths have been part of ancient cultures for centuries. There's a reason why your mom wants to make you a bowl of soup when you're feeling under the weather! Traditional diets of our ancestors used broth as a way to use up every part of the animal besides the meat. Bones, marrow, skin and tendons that couldn't be eaten were boiled with water and simmered over several days to make soup stock.
When broth is cooked like that over a long period of time, healing compounds from the bones are released into the broth. These nutrients include collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine; all powerhouses for your health.
Important minerals are pulled from the bones such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulphur. These minerals are crucial for bone health and reducing joint pain and inflammation.
Bone broth makes these nutrients easy to absorb. It can be an essential part of healing for any kind of digestive issue and leaky gut, enhances the immune system, and maintains healthy skin. (Hello, collagen!) Bone broth is super important for preserving the integrity of your joints, reduces overall inflammation, and supports your body's detoxification processes.
Bone broth is also a great tool for weight loss! The best part is that this anti-aging, immune boosting food only costs pennies to make! And if you're on board with bone broth but don't want to make it, it's becoming much easier to buy pre-made.
HOW TO MAKE BONE BROTH:
First, you need bones, preferably grass-finished beef or pasture-raised chicken bones.
What I do is save bones from any type of chicken or meat that we eat and collect them in a freezer bag until I have about 2 lbs. worth to make broth. When we make a whole chicken I immediately use the carcass for broth.
Another way I have stocked up on bones is when we bought a cow share (I asked the farmer for the bones and got a freezer full!) and by asking our local butcher. I've seen bones for broth available for sale in the meat section of Sprouts and Whole Foods along with chicken feet and other miscellaneous parts that are great for making collagen-rich broth.
I've used two methods for bone broth: slow cooker and Instant Pot. The preparation is the same for both but the cooking time varies greatly. Here's a simple recipe to get you started.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 pounds of bones
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 - 3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
Place the bones, vegetables and garlic in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Fill the pot to the top with filtered water and add salt and vinegar.
Slow cooker: cook on low for 18 - 24 hours. Instant Pot: cook on high pressure for 2 hours.
Strain the broth through a cheese cloth or fine-mesh strainer and cool.
Store in glass jars or containers in the fridge for up to five days. Freeze leftovers in glass jars.
I love to make big batches and stock the freezer full! A pro-tip I have for you is to put your bones and veggies into a soup sock before you put them in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. This makes the straining process a piece of cake since you can just pull the sock out with all the bones and you're left with amazing and delicious broth.
Another pro-tip: don't stress if you don't have any veggies to put in with the broth. If I know my broth is going to be used as a base for chilis and soups that will have their own flavors I will just use bones, salt, and apple cider vinegar. Simple.
Ok you have all this broth, now what?
DRINK IT!
I love sipping on broth like tea. A warm mug of broth is so warm and nourishing.
Use your broth as a base for soups, stews and chilis. Anywhere a recipe calls for water or broth, use bone broth!
I use bone broth instead of water to make quinoa and rice. I'll also freeze some broth in ice cube trays so I can just toss a bit in to deglaze a pan or thin out mashed sweet potatoes or cauliflower. I also used it in all my homemade baby food when my kiddos were little!
Ok, perhaps I've convinced you about the benefits of bone broth but you'd rather try it first before committing to make a batch. Awesome! Here are my favorite brands that you can click the link to buy on Amazon, or find at a health food store. Check the soup aisle as well as the refrigerated section because Epic brand is often near the green juices.
Kettle & Fire Bone Broth
Epic Bone Broth
Links to my favorite broth-making tools:
Instant Pot
Slow Cooker
Soup Socks
Mason Jars
Plastic Mason Jar Lids
