bone broth
Bone broth is an ancient healing food that has been a staple of traditional diets around the world for centuries.
Bone broth is rich in nutrients like collagen, gelatin and amino acids like glycine, proline and glutamine which supports intestinal health and integrity, bone mineral density and muscle creation and repair.
Bone broth can assist with treating leaky gut syndrome, overcoming food allergies, improving the condition of your skin, hair and nails, improving your joint health and, as Grandmas all over the world know, boost your immune system.
It really is simple to make and, with just a few ingredients and a bit of time, you can have some of this liquid gold yourself in no time!
Grandma really was onto something!!
WHAT YOU NEED.
2kg bones (use a mixture of marrow, knuckle and meat bones if making beef or lamb, or whole chicken carcasses with extra drumsticks, necks, wings or feet if desired)
4-6 litres filtered water (approx)
2-3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 large brown onion, quartered
4-6 cloves of garlic (I use all those small little bits and pieces, so about 4-6 cloves in total)
2-3 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
Optional:
3-4 celery sticks, quartered
2-3 carrots, quartered
Extra veggies like broccoli or cauliflower stalks
A few sprigs of parsley or other herbs like coriander
Knob of ginger
Salt (I prefer to add the salt to my recipes)
What To Do.
Place all ingredients into a large crockpot or slow cooker, place the lid on and set to high temp.
Once the stock has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6 - 24 hours, depending on the size of the bones and your preference. Skim off any foam that rises to the top and make sure you top up the water as it reduces so that the bones are always covered.
If you are using bones with meat on them or even whole chickens, remove the meat once cooked (approx 2 hours) and put aside to add to a dish later, then continue cooking the bones.
Once broth is finished, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly before removing the bones, veggies, etc. Strain through a fine mesh metal strainer and, once cooled, pour into glass containers if storing in the fridge or freezer-safe containers if freezing. Discard bones and vegetables.
To Use
Use in place of water in your recipes such as soups, curries etc.
Enjoy a cup of broth with your favourite herbs and spices, a dollop of ghee or butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Add it to your pan juices to make a gravy and thicken with arrowroot or tapioca flour or potato starch.
Simmer some vegetables like broccolini, asparagus, spinach etc in broth in a small fry pan until evaporated, add some garlic powder, turmeric, salt, pepper and eggs cooked to your liking.
Notes:
If your broth has a gelatinous consistency once cooled, it means your broth is rich in gelatin! Sometimes the gelatin may break down if you have used a longer or hotter simmer but that is ok, your broth is still rich in minerals.
You don’t need to skim off any of the fat if you don’t want to. This solid stuff is tallow and can act as a seal to your broth if you are storing it. It can be used in place of butter or coconut oil for cooking.