GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Bone Broth

Bone broth is a staple in any kitchen.  Most people pick up a few cans or boxes at the store and keep it in their pantry for weeks, months or even years. Unfortunately I have found many, even the “Organic Free-Range” chicken varieties, have ingredients that are either questionable for a Gluten-Free diet or down-right objectionable.  Some pre-made broth products contain MSG and other flavorings that may be made from ingredients that are problematic and are not even required to be listed on the label.  Have you ever seen the words “Natural Flavorings”, or “Vegetable Coloring”, etc.  What is that exactly?

Following my mantra of “If Grandma wouldn’t know what it is, don’t put it in your mouth”, I have found the only way to know exactly what is in my stock or broth is to make my own.  Not only is it important from an health perspective, it saves money and uses things already on hand that may otherwise be thrown out or wasted.  “Waste not, Want not….” where have I heard that before?

Always save the bones and carcasses from whatever meat or poultry you would normally make.  I keep two bags in my freezer, one for beef and one for poultry.  I just toss my leftover bones in the appropriate bag when I’m cleaning up after dinner.  Then, when I have a good amount or when I need broth, I toss the bag of bones and carcasses in a pot along with whatever vegetables and spices I have on hand, add water and make more stock.  It becomes habit after a while.

From a nutritional standpoint, there aren’t many things in the food world that can compare to Bone Broth.  It is packed with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, boron, and glucosamine sulfate.  Gelatin is released from the cartilage.  Bone Broth is full of  important vitamins, antioxidants and the amino acids glycine and proline which are important in maintaining healthy connective tissue and in healing our body. Bone broth is especially helpful in healing our gut which is, if you are gluten sensitive or intolerant, seriously in need of healing.

Glycine, one of the amino acids present in Bone Broth,  is an anti-inflammatory and an immune booster. It contributes to our digestive and nervous system health and aids in blood sugar regulation.

Bone Broth is super absorbable which is key.  Being in liquid form, it is easy for the body to use all the nutrients available without having to work very hard to do it.  This is the main reason Bone Broth is so good for us when we are sick.  The good stuff gets to us easily and quickly while we mend.

One additional note before we get to the recipe.  I do add Sea Vegetables to the broth pot.  This addition not only boosts the flavor, it also adds additional important minerals to the broth. Sea vegetables also help tenderize the bones through a process called Chelation.  Chelation can help rid the body of heavy metals and radioactive isotopes.

Basic Bone Broth

Needed: One Large Heavy Enamel or 18/0 Stainless Steel Stock Pot

Please don’t use Aluminum or Teflon, these are not good options for healthy cooking. If you don’t have a Stock Pot, borrow one.  Then, put a good stock pot on your Christmas List, you will want one.

Ingredients:

3-5 lbs meat bones.  Leg, marrow, raw or cooked from beef, bison, venison, pork, chicken, turkey, or any other fowl, lamb, rabbit anything will do.

If you would like to have dark broth, the bones can be roasted in the oven for a time then used for stock.

5-6 Quarts filtered water to begin.  Enough to cover the ingredients.  More may be needed as the stock simmers. Check it often.

Spices:

2-3 Bay leaves

Sage

Rosemary

Thyme

Oregano

These are the spices I enjoy, but any combination is fine.  It is important to remember these are for enhancing the flavor not overpowering it.  So, less is more until you become comfortable with the amount you prefer.

2-3 Tbsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar or Lemon Juice

10-12 Crushed Pepper Corns

3-4 Fresh Organic Carrots

1-2 Organic Yellow Onions, chopped

1-3 Cloves Organic Garlic, pressed and chopped or to taste

3-4 Stocks Organic Celery, chopped

Optional:

2-3 pieces (5″ inches each)  Kombu, Kelp or Alaria sea vegetables, coarsely cut or chopped

Himalayan Pink Salt added later to taste.

If you will be roasting the bones first, place them in a roasting pan along with some beef tallow, lard or rendered duck fat.  Heat the oven to 450 degrees and add the bones.  You will need to watch the bones closely, turning them frequently as they brown.  After about 10 minutes, you can add the carrots, celery and onions if you would like and brown those too.  This will change the flavor of the stock adding richness and deepening the flavor.  Be careful not to scorch the ingredients.

After browning, add the whole pan of roasted goodness to the stock pot and cover with filtered water.

Bring gently to a boil, then turn down the heat and cook partially covered for 6-10 hours.  Skim any foam that may rise to the surface during the first 30 minutes or so.  Stock can simmer gently for hours and hours.  After several hours, taste and adjust the spices.

For lighter broth, 4-6 hours of simmering will be plenty.  For more flavorful and rich broth, simmer 8-10 hours or longer.  Over night in a crock pot is perfect.

After the broth has reached it’s desired flavor.  Remove from heat and let cool before storing it.  Bone broth can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.  If you would like to freeze it for later use, which is what I suggest, use Ball canning jars and fill to about 1″ from the top.  Label and freeze.  I like to freeze some broth in ice cube trays and put the cubes in a zip-lock for times when I just need a small amount of broth.

When the broth has cooled, strain it through a fine sieve or colander.  Cheese cloth across a wide mouth funnel works as well.  Discard the remains of the vegetables, spices and bones.  CAUTION: Cooked bones can splinter and may not be good for animals.

Bone Broth

Healthy Cooking Tip:

Use a cube or two of broth to sauté vegetables instead of cooking oil.  The flavor is better, you get all the nutrition and none of the negatives of cooking oil.

Notes:

Bone Broth can be canned and stored as well.  If you know how to can, this is a terrific option.

Vegetable and Fish Stock can be made in a similar manor.  However, vegetable and fish stock will become bitter if allowed to simmer more than about 30 minutes.

Here’s to Your Health,

Renee Porter Sullivan, CHt

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Resources:

Roasting Techniques:

“The Fanny Farmer Cookbook” by Marion Cunningham, 6th printing March 1994, Page 76, Soups

Nutrition information and ingredients:

Page 206,  “Basic Bone Broth”, “The Garden of Eating” A Produce-Dominated Diet & Cookbook, 2nd Edition, 2010, by Rachel Albert & Don Matesz,”.

Paleo Magazine October/November 2012 edition, Page 38, Q&A with the Paleo Dietitian Amy Kubal MS,RD, LN

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