Bone Broth - Liquid Gold

What makes this stuff so special?

The short answer is collagen. Bones and connective tissue are the only true dietary sources of type II collagen — a protein that’s known for keeping skin smooth and supple and teeth and joints strong, as well as touting lots of other benefits, including:

-Promotes gut and digestive health/detoxification -Improves immunity -Supports joint mobility -Supports skin, hair and nails -Supports sleep

Bone broth could be called "nature's multivitamin" because it is full of minerals, amino acids, collagen, gelatin, and electrolytes, and it's delicious!

How do you use it?

Well, you can drink 1/2-1 cup per day as a snack or as a "cup of soup" along side your lunch sandwich, etc. You can also cook with it. Substitute bone broth for your chicken or beef broth in recipes. It has a much richer flavor than boxed/canned broths.

How do I make it?

Here's my recipe:

2-3 pounds of bones from a healthy source

2 carrots

2 stalks of celery

1 onion

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon peppercorns

1 tablespoon or more of sea salt

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Optional: 1 bunch of parsley, additional herbs or spices to taste, mushrooms

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and roast beef bones on baking sheet for 30 minutes. This is a critical step and affects the taste immensely.

2. Place carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns, salt, and bay leaves in a slow cooker. Place roasted bones over vegetables; pour in enough cold water to cover bones. Add apple cider vinegar,

3. Cook on Low for 18-36 hours. Pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and discard any strained solids.

4. Let it cool slightly, then pour into Mason jars; be sure to leave at least an inch head space for when it expands when frozen. Take a jar out and enjoy it within 5 days (stored in refrigerator).

Notes:

I double this recipe and use my electric roaster (set to 200 degrees F.) when I have a lot of bones.

You can also save your washed vegetable scraps (almost anything works except cruciferous veggies may throw the flavor off) throughout the year; just toss them in a container in the freezer and use them to make your broth.