Bone broth has become extremely popular, but it’s really a return to basics – and good thing, too. This cheap and delicious powerhouse of flavor is rich in essential vitamins and minerals. It can help with everything from autoimmune health benefits to maintaining a Keto diet, and it provides a nutrient-dense base for so many delicious soups, sauces and tasty meals.
Bone broth’s wonders extend way beyond popular soup recipes. Best of all, you can make it for yourself on your own stove. All you need to do is simmer leftover bones from cooking meats, be it beef, veal, chicken, pork, lamb, gizzards, buffalo, fish – any bones at all.
Unlike chicken broths, Bone broth utilizes connective tissues from the necks, feet and knuckles. While there are many bone broth making methods, not all recipes are as nutritionally-effective as others.
By overlooking vital details, many recipes and even store bought blends won’t provide the gut-healing components that make a bone broth the beneficial life changer it should be.
It’s not hard to do things the right way, and we’re gonna teach you. Just follow these key steps, and you’ll yield a bone broth with the strongest combinations of proteins and amino acids to help with Arthritis, autoimmune disease flare-ups and so much more.
Health Benefits
Bone broth is a cozy multivitamin source that can help with IBS, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease and other autoinflammatory diseases.
It also supports defense against Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease and even joint disease.
Bone broth also includes a lot of collagen, which correlates to skin and hair benefits. With vital proteins that promote weight loss and better sleep, this broth can really do it all.
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Plus, it’s gluten-free, paleo and keto, which makes it perfect for new or continuing healthy diets.
The broth’s bountiful supply of collagen is thanks to its high content of gelatin. According to Nourished Kitchen, the gelatin is “ made from dissolved collagen. Collagen is found in connective tissue. While the amount of protein will vary depending on volume of water used, types of bones and length of cooking, most bone broth contains about 10 grams of protein per 8-oz serving.”
What You’ll Need
Drinking Bone broth is not only extremely beneficial for the body. It’s very easy to make and full of flavor. You’ll save money and have the best quality broth by making your own.
According to Healthline, you’ll need:
- One Large Pot or Slow Cooker
- 2-4 pounds of the animal bones of your choice
- 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
While there are no strict rules to the recipe, a good rule of thumb is to boil your bones longer for the most flavor.
They can boil for as long as 24 hours for a full-flavored brew. For those that don’t like their bone broth too strong, Minimalist Baker says it can be boiled for as little as 10 hours for a less potent taste.
Adding Some Extra Flavor
For the best bone broth, it’s recommended by popular YouTuber TheDomesticGeek to roast the bones for about 30 minutes before boiling them. While not essential, doing this will bring out the richest notes of flavor.
She also suggests adding vegetables and roasting them as well. Depending on each person’s taste, this could include celery, carrots, leeks, onions and even some garlic.
A variety of herbs can also be used to season. Healthy Eating Educator Heather Braaten explains that “lemon, sea salt and fresh black pepper [can] brighten up the rich flavor.”
While some broths are thicker and more gravy textured, others are thinner and soupy in texture. It all depends on which ingredients you prefer.
Braaten explores a host of other ingredients and seasonings. Try ginger, lime and even sriracha to fit different palates while maintaining the beneficial collagen and calcium in every batch.
For the boldest taste, many recipes suggest using their leftover bones from chicken dinners or even discarded fish bones that already have flavor cooked in and marinated.
How to Save Your Animal Fat
When you chill bone broth, the fat rises to the top. When the fat becomes solidified, it’s easy to scoop out. While this fat doesn’t stay good for long, it’s quite successful as a cooking oil.
Animal bone fat is also full of nutrients that shouldn’t be wasted. It can be stored in its own container. This strategy is doubly useful, as it prevents the fat from going rancid and ruining the bone broth while enabling the most use out of the animal bones.
Bone Broth Comes in Many Different Forms
While cozy soups and broths hit the spot during the cold months, summer can make simmered bone broth less appealing.
Luckily, you can turn to convenient bone broth protein powders.
It may sound like a rather odd combination, but according to Health.com, this mixture includes healthy “hyaluronic acid, chondroitin, glucosamine, and electrolytes, and it comes in four flavors: vanilla, chocolate, turmeric, and unflavored.”
Amazon reviewers are quite impressed with how well it tastes in smoothies, no sacrifices to health benefits necessary. The powder also goes well in Holiday stuffing, cauliflower rice, porridge, mashed potatoes and in various sauces.
If you’ve made a resolution to be less wasteful, bone broth is certainly one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to honors your body and that of the animal that fed you. Don’t be afraid of giving it a go. It’s one of the most delicious and nutritious experiments you could try!