How to cook bone broth

Intimidated by how to cook a bone broth? Don’t be. It is easier than you think. 

Winter is over and you are probably thinking about all the amazing vegetable salads you are going to prepare, all of the wonderful fruit you are going to savour, and of course the lovely SUNSHINE coming our way, why should you even be bothered cooking bone broth in the warmer months to come? 

Bone Broth has incredible benefits:

• Bone broths are rich in gelatine, which help heal the lining of the gut. Especially beneficial for people suffering from leaky gut or inflammatory conditions of the gut.
• It protects the mucosal lining of the gut and can help regenerate it.
• It nourishes the immune system by aiding the digestive system. 80% of our immune system actually resides in our gut.
• Bone broths are rich in collagen, which help our elastin production to maintain healthy looking skin.
• Bone broths can be a good mineral source for our bodies, which are important cofactors for so many different functions in our body. Some of the mineral present in bone broths are zinc, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium and selenium.
• Bone Broths are good for your joints as they contain glucosamine and chondroitin.

Are you convinced yet? Here is an easy recipe with a few simple tips on how to cook bone broth:

Ingredients:

• Beef bones. I usually pick those where I can see the marrow. Try organic or grass-fed bones if possible. I can usually fit 3 to 4 bones in my slow cooker.
• 2 carrots, halved. 
• 3 celery stalks, halved. 
• 1 onion, cut in rough chunks.
• Preferred herbs.
• Parsley, optional.
• ½ cup of apple cider vinegar
• 4 cups of water
• Sea salt or Himalayan pink salt.

Instructions:

Bake the bones at 350F for about 35 to 40 minutes.

Transfer the bones to a slow cooker and allow to cool.

Add ½ cup of apple cider vinegar and enough water to cover the bones. Leave in the liquid while you prepare the veggies. Don’t skip the apple cider vinegar step as it is vital for leaching the minerals out of the bones.

Add carrots, celery stalks and onion. 

Add your preferred herbs.

Add a dash of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt.

Bring the broth to a boil and skim the scum.

Cover and cook for a further 8 – 12 hrs. There are some recipes that call for even more cooking time (9 – 24 hrs), but I usually cook it for 12 hrs.

* A handful of parsley can be added 30 minutes before the end of cooking time.

Allow the broth to cool then transfer to Mason jars or containers that can be stored in your fridge or freezer.

Bone broths should be used within a week, but it will keep longer if the fat that forms on the top isn’t broken. The best way to use your bone broth is to put on one side the amount you think you are going to use within a week – such as a base for chili or soups – transfer the rest into containers with the desired amount that can be stored in your freezer for later use.

So, what do you think? Is this a recipe you will make? Once you discover how easy it is to make and how delicious it can be, I think this can become a staple in your kitchen.