Winter may be over, but bone broth will continue to be a staple in our household year round. If you don’t know much about bone broth then read on, I will go over some of the wonderful health benefits this liquid cup of heaven holds . . .
Bone broth is typically made with fresh marrow and soup bones, or using a whole chicken carcass or whole fish frames. The marrow bones can be roasted first to improve their flavour, but it is not necessary if you don’t have the time. An easy way to start is by saving the bones and carcass of your roasted chicken! The broth is typically cooked on a low heat over a period 24 – 48 hours, this will ensure that all of the cartilage breaks down and the minerals escape from the bones (vinegar is necessary for this to occur). When you are able to crumble the bones between your fingers, you know it is ready.
Bone broth is a very high source of both protein and gelatin (great for our hair, skin, nails, joints, bones and belly), is abundant in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and contains amino acids glycine and proline. All of these wonderful nutrients work harmoniously with our body to improve digestion, help to heal leaky-gut, promote healing, cell growth and cell repair, strengthen hair and nails, improve joint and bone health, increase immunity, and promote overall health and wellness. It is easy to prepare, and once on the stove or in the slow cooker, you can leave it to do its thing! I might add that – if you don’t already own a slow cooker, you should definitely make the investment – they are a godsend for time-saving, especially if you have kids! They are a little easier to keep on, and a better option if you are concerned about leaving something on the stove for a long period of time.
Ingredients:
1 large organic free range chicken (whole or just the carcass) OR
Roughly 1.5 – 2 kgs organic free range beef or lamb marrow, soup and neck bones
2 large carrots
2 celery stems
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves organic garlic
2 fresh bay leaves
2 birdseye chili’s (omit if you do not like heat)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp fresh peppercorns
Generous pinch of salt
1 tblsp ghee
Filtered water
*You can add additional fresh herbs to give extra flavour if you wish – bay leaves & thyme go well
Method:
1. Roast bones for around 25 mins at 180 degrees C. (If you don’t have time to do this, just add them straight into your pot or slow cooker). Once roasted, add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker or a large pot, and cover with filtered water
2. Simmer on low heat for minimum of 24 hours. Once finished and slightly cooled, remove the bones and vegetables from the pot and discard
3. Place the broth into a large bowl and cover, storing in the fridge until it sets like jelly. If you don’t like the thought of drinking the fat, you can easily remove this – it will have set firmly on the top of the broth after being refrigerated (if the bones are organic and grass fed, the fat is good for you!). You can either portion the broth up and freeze for future use, or you can keep the stock in the fridge to reheat for around 2-3 days.
You can use this broth as a base for soups, stocks, soaking nuts, seeds and grains, or can warm and enjoy in a big mug on its own, with a little extra seasoning and some fresh greens and herbs added!