Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

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Bone broth recipe made from scratch.

HOMEMADE BONE BROTH RECIPE

Bone broth is all the rage right now and for good reason. It’s benefits go way beyond a delicious, homemade stock for cooking. Your joints and immune system may benefit as well as your skin, metabolism and gut. Although, it seems as if it’s the miracle superfood, don’t go out and buy bone broth just yet. You’ll benefit much more from the REAL stuff made at home (or a reputable company) rather than the store bought varieties that may have additives, excessive sodium, artificial colors and other chemicals.

 

BONE BROTH BENEFITS

So what’s the big deal? Bone broth benefits are far reaching. Bone broth is rich in nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and silicon to name a few. In addition, it contains glucosamine, collagen and gelatin which contribute to healthy joints, radiant skin and a healthier gut. If you’re reading about nutrition right now in the news, you know that gut health is at the forefront.

“Bone broth is easily digested and soothing to the digestive system, unlike many other foods, which can be difficult to fully break down. After all, a food is really only useful if we have the means of absorbing its nutrients.” – Dr. Josh Axe

 

THE RECIPE

I generally make a batch of bone broth every week. I use it for easy soups, as a bed time relaxer and I’ll have a cup anytime during the day that I feel like I want or need some bone broth. I love it for skin and nails and my joints have definitely benefited from the collagen and chondroitin benefits. This is a staple in my house and will continue to be.

I have read so many recipes for bone broth and made them all so I could figure out what I like and what I don’t (I’ve listed two main recipes that I drew inspiration from at the bottom of this post). Ultimately, you can change the flavor with herbs as you see fit or leave it plain.

 

Ingredients:

  • 16-20 cups water (preferably filtered)

  • 4 pounds chicken or beef bones (preferably free range or organic – add chicken feet, chicken parts and/or gizzards if you like) *I prefer bones that have already been baked or roasted as they give the broth a richer flavor. I often buy a whole chicken and roast it first so that I have the meat from the chicken to use and then the bones go into the crockpot for bone broth. If using raw bones, you may want to heat them on high for an hour and then reduce them to low.

  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (this is my favorite Apple Cider Vinegar)

  • 1 yellow onion (cut in quarters)

  • 2 carrots (cut into large pieces)

  • 2 celery stalks (cut into large pieces or left full)

  • 3 cloves of garlic smashed

  • 1 Tsp salt (preferably himalayan pink salt)

  • 1 Tsp pepper (option – smoked peppercorns add extra flavor)

  • 1 large sprig rosemary (or herbs of your choice – you can get creative with it)

How To:

Prepare: Add water to crock pot and pour in apple cider vinegar. Add the bones and let sit for about 20 minutes. This helps the apple cider vinegar extract the nutrients from the bones. After 20 minutes, check for any foam that may have risen to the top of the water. Skim it off and discard.

Slow Cook: Turn slow cooker to low and add in the bones, onion, carrots, celery, garlic and salt + pepper. Be careful of over-salting the broth. If you’ll be using it in other soup recipes or for cooking, you’ll want to take into consideration that you’ll probably be salting your dishes. It’s much easier to add salt rather than take away so start with a mildly salted broth. Check the broth after the first few hours and skim any additional foam that may have surfaced. Let slow cook for 14 – 24 hours.

Strain: Once your broth is done, you’ll want to strain the top for any more impurities that have risen up. You’ll then want to strain the whole broth of the bones, vegetables and any other little bits left in the liquid.

Store: Transfer broth to mason jars and store in refrigerator for about 5 – 7 days or freeze for up to one month. Enjoy!

 

RECIPE INSPIRATION

Against All Grain – Bone Broth

Wellness Mama – Bone Broth

 

If you have any questions about this post, please leave them in the comment section below!

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