Bone Broth Recipe

Updated with very minor additions and fixed typos: 3/8/21

Bone broth is so nourishing and healthy. It is prescription worthy!  For one, it can help heal a leaky gut, which is very common for those with an autoimmune condition or other chronic illness like arthritis. It can even help you lose weight, reduce wrinkles, help with joint disease, and even improve your squeamish quotient (see chicken feet photos below). Studies have shown that bone broth is also great for things like colds and flu’s by strengthening your immune system, shortening the duration of the illness, and helping ease congestion.

Everyone can learn how to make it as it is so quick and easy.

How to Make Bone Broth

Note: This is NOT rocket science.  There are actually many variations, but this is how I do it. Sort of’s and about’s do just fine with this recipe.  I cannot tell you strongly enough how delightful it is to enjoy some of this wonderfulness by itself or to use it to make the tastiest soup ever.

 

Ingredients and Process

 Start with some bones of your choosing:

Beef – Legend has it that you used to be able to get these bones for free sometimes from the butcher, but in the last few years they have become a hot commodity. I have never been able to score them for free. Grass-fed bones are best, organic next best, then regular, well  I guess they are okay. If raw, roast in the oven first in a roasting pan at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.  This improves the flavor.  After that, you can eat the bone marrow out of the middle before cooking the bones further, if you have that type of bones.  I highly recommend this. It is not only very tasty, but also nutritious. Then put in the crockpot and proceed.

Chicken – There are a few ways to go about this. 1) Roast a chicken or two, remove the meat, then throw the bones in the crockpot.  Or 2) Buy a bunch of necks and backs, and/or chicken feet, and throw in the crockpot. Or, 3) Crockpot chicken pieces or a whole chicken, remove the meat when it is done, then put the bones back in the crockpot and proceed.

Turkey – Handle this mostly just like chicken. One thing I might add is that whenever I cook a turkey I save the wings, and maybe the legs, in the freezer for future bone broth. These make a great broth.

Lamb – Pretty much the same as beef or just throw in the crockpot.

Other bones will work as well, like fish bones, but the above are the only four that I have actually used.

 

Next always add:

Water to cover the bones

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. This helps leech out the nutritious minerals and other valuable nutrients from the bones. Use the kind with the “mother” in it like Braggs brand. (You can omit this if you need to avoid histamines or have any other health issues with vinegar. It just may not pull as many nutrients from the bones, but Your broth will still be really good.)

Salt and other desired spices.  I usually keep it simple with just salt, Himalayan or sea salt. A bay leaf or two, if you have them, would be good to throw in too.

Optional:

Onions, celery, carrots, spinach, garlic, etc. You can keep scraps of vegetables in the freezer and just some in for extra nutrients when you’re ready to get a pot of broth going.

 

Simmer:

Beef – about 24 hours

Chicken – about 12 hours

Lamb – somewhere in between

You really know afterward that you cooked it long enough when it cools and the liquid gels. By the way, adding chicken feet really helps achieve a gelatinous broth when cooled. I know it’s creepy, but, hey, it works!

 

Caveat here: Bone broth can be high in histamines, which is not an issue for most people. But don’t let that scare you. There are many healthy foods high in histamines like avocados, kombucha, and oranges. But the thing to know here is that if histamines as a problem for you just simmer the broth for a few hours instead of the longer advised time. This broth will still be nutritious and usually well tolerated.

Strain:

I use a large, thin mesh, metal strainer. Throw all of the strained stuff out unless you want to pick through and eat some of the meat bits first. In fact, I strongly suggest that you do this, not only to avoid waste, but also because this meat is more easily digestible, which is good if you have a fussy gut.

Cool and Store:

I usually cool the whole batch in a big glass bowl. Do not, I repeat, do not spoil this healthy broth by putting it in plastic containers while still warm. Usually the next day I portion the broth into small glass containers and freeze some while saving some for immediate or near future use. Make sure that you leave room in the container for expansion.

And, did you know there is a bone broth diet?

Yes, and I highly recommend it. Dr. Kellyann Petrucci wrote an excellent book, Bone Broth Diet. You can read the review I wrote about my experience with it here.

 

Conclusion

Although you can buy bone broth in stores, it is expensive and, well, just does not taste as good. I advise that you start experimenting with making homemade bone broth because it is cheaper, easy, and not very time-consuming.  You will be so delighted with yourself!

 

Be sure to check out this article I wrote for more info on improving your health and slimming down with a bone broth diet: Bone Broth Diet Review.

Another article I have written that you might like:

Quirky Thursday: Chicken Feet

 

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