Homemade Bone Broth; More Than Good for the Soul

Bone broth is gaining popularity and is incredibly healthful. Homemade versions of bone broth will beat out any store bought broth in nutrients and flavor, any day. Besides its amazing taste, bone broth is health affirming— providing calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and collagen to support joints, hair, skin and nails. 

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I personally enjoy making my own bone broth with butcher-bought bones. You can ask your local butcher (likely the most expensive), or retail grocery store (usually more affordable) as well as some delivery options are available as well. I ordered this batch of bones from @stayclassymeats. You can choose a variety of bone types. Beef long bones and knuckle bones work best as they will produce the most cartilage rich material. You can also use chicken feet or other chicken bones if you’re not a red-meat eater. 

We’ve found bones from local grocery for as cheap as $15 for about 5-7 lbs of bones; and in my experience, these bones have made the most broth! You can also purchase bone broth from a local health food store as well as Trader Joe’s, Sprouts or similar in the refrigerated or frozen section of the store (however, not as rich in nutrients due to the high temperature, fast cooking production).

Making your own broth can be semi-intimidating but honestly you really can’t eff it up. It’s pretty fool proof (so long as you semi-follow the instructions). The hardest part is really finding the most affordable bones in your area. I’d like to take some intimidation factor out of the process and give you a little knowledge on this super health promoting food! 

So what’s the deal with bone broth?

Bone broth is a good source of minerals and protein! Bone broth is rich in glycine and proline (which are not significant in muscle meats) and are important for a healthy gut and digestion, muscle repair, growth, a balanced nervous system and a strong immune system. Components in bone broth like chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine can help reduce inflammation and joint pain. Bones used to make broth contain collagen that is found in connective tissue of animals and the breakdown is what produces the gelatinous broth. This gelatin feature can help improve gastrointestinal function which may be of benefit to those with inflammatory (IBS) or autoimmune disorders.

Glycine rich bone broth also stimulates the production of glutathione which is one of the body’s main antioxidants that lowers oxidative stress— aiding your body’s immune response and detoxification. 

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(P.s. I’m sure you’ve heard of collagen if you’ve ever attempted to build healthy, strong hair and nails).

Feel free to add your own flair, but this makes a simple and flavorful broth:

  • 3-5 lbs animal bones

  • 1/2 coarsely chopped onion

  • 2 carrots

  • 2 celery stalks

  • 2-4 cloves garlic

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 TBS apple cider vinegar

  • Parsley (and any other herbs you enjoy)

1. Place in a slow cooker, bones, vegetables and garlic. Cover with cold, filtered water. Make sure all the bones are covered.

2. Add 2 TBS apple cider vinegar. The acid will help draw out the nutrients from the bones. 

3. Heat on low for 48 hours (sometimes up to 72). Chicken bones likely 24-48 hours. 

4. Add in parsley and salt 1-2 hours before finish

5. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

6. Strain out the solids from your broth and store in fridge (5-7 days) or use immediately for a delicious soup! There will also likely be a layer of fat on top of the broth once cooled. Discard this layer once you are ready to eat prepare your broth. The easiest way I’ve found around this layer of fat is to cut a triangle in the layer so you can pour broth directly into the pot, leaving behind the thick layer of fat.

Sit tight for next week’s Bone Broth Soup Recipe (full of even more nutrients!)

Kelsie FeaganComment