Bone broth. It’s not the most attractive or enticing looking meal. But what the humble bone broth lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in incredible health benefits. An average bone broth will contain many nutrients including phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, collagen, protein and amino acids including proline and glycine and much more. It’s like having a multivitamin and mineral meal in a cup!
Sounds good! Tell me more….
A typical bone broth is made from beef, lamb, duck, fish or chicken bones simmered anywhere between an 8 – 72 hour period. You can get those bones from your local butcher, usually for super cheap or better still, you can use the carcass or bones from a roast chicken or beef you’ve roasted yourself.
You add in whatever extra vegies you have lying around in the fridge but usually onion, carrot, celery just to name a few, some apple cider vinegar to draw out the minerals and voila! You will have in your hot little hands a super healthy (not to mention economical) broth that can be used to drink as a soup on its own or as a stock for other soups, casseroles and gravy.
What are the health benefits?
Bone broths are good for... you guessed it. Bones! A good bone broth will contain many nutrients necessary for healthy bone mineralisation including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and other trace minerals required for bone health. These nutrients plus the collagen can also help to strengthen our nails and give us healthy hair and skin.
Get those joints moving… Collagen, amino acids including glycine and proline, and glucosamine and chondroitin will be present in the broth after stewing the bones and joints for a prolonged period of time.These joint nutrients help to nourish the cartilage in the joints, reduce inflammation and may improve our joint health.
Plug that leak... the collagen, amino acids and gelatin found in a bone broth can help to heal the gastrointestinal tract and can be particularly helpful for conditions such as leaky gut. Your bone broth is an easily digested meal, as all the ingredients have been stewed and semi broken down, so a yummy broth will support your digestive tract and have all the hard digestive work done for you.
Boost your immunity… We’ve all heard how a good Chicken soup can help the common cold. Well a bone broth is a great booster to your immunity as well, with the glycine and the mix of nutrients designed to modulate your immune cells and get them fighting those nasty bugs.
Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Then get cooking! See the recipe below…..
Recipe:
You will need a slow cooker, or large pot to cook the broth in.
Ingredients
- 2kg (or more!) preferably organic beef, chicken, duck or lamb bones with meat removed
- 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 onion
- 3 carrots
- 3 celery sticks
- Optional: Parsley stem (the leaves can change flavour of broth), bunch of thyme, peppercorns or any herbs you would like to add for taste.
Method:
- Roast bones in an oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, or until well browned. This will enhance the flavour of the broth.
- Once browned, take bones out of the oven and let cool. Once cool, cover with water in pot or slow cooker and add Apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes. This will allow the nutrients in the bone to become more available in the stock liquid.
- Add all other ingredients, simmer or place on low setting in slow cooker for 8 – 24 hours (or longer if you desire!). Tip! This part can be quite smelly, so make sure to leave a window open to let out the strong smell of the broth.
- Once you’ve finish cooking, let broth cool completely. Any excess fat will congeal at the top of the broth. Remove this with a spoon and discard. Remove bones and vegetables and discard.
- Separate into smaller containers, freeze for later stock/soup use, or use straight away on its own or in a soup or gravy. Enjoy!!!!
Or, simply check out our range of bone broth concentrates, with 26 cups of instant hormone and antibiotic-free bone broth in every jar.
