If you’ve never made your own bone broth before I highly recommend you give it a try. It’s one of the easiest and most nutrient dense things you can make and it’s also very inexpensive. Especially when you compare it to the $5.00 chicken or beef tetra packs you buy at the grocery store that are filled with sugar and additives.
This time of year when the weather gets cooler and it seems like everyone around you is getting sick or catching a cold, it is the perfect time to support your immune system with some nourishing and immune boosting bone broth. There are certainly brands out there that make really great quality bone broths, but since it’s super easy to make, I always make it in bulk at home and have at least a few jars in my freezer ready to go.
If you’re feeling like you might be coming down with something, sipping on a warm mug of broth is not only comforting, but will provide your body with the minerals and amino acids it needs to help ward off the common cold. Even if you’re not feeling under the weather, use this liquid gold as the base for soups, stews and sauces to give your body some additional added nutrients.
What’s All the Hype about?
So what is it that makes bone broth so nutritionally beneficial? Well first it’s filled with collagen which makes it especially healing for the gut lining. When we have a happy and healthy gut we digest and absorb our foods better and provide our bodies with more nutrients. Broken down even further collagen contains amino acids – the building blocks of proteins – and are important for countless functions in the body. Arginine, glutamine, and cysteine are amino acids that can be found in bone broth and help reduce inflammation and mucous buildup. Hence why it’s perfect for fighting off illness!
Should you still sip bone broth even if you’re not coming down with something? Absolutely! Collagen-rich bone broth is nourishing for hair, skin, nails and will be one of the cheapest beauty tools in your regime. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on collagen boosting skincare products, nourish your skin from within with collagen. It can also help reduce the look of fine lines in the skin and prevent the look of pre-mature aging – just make sure you’re limiting the sugar, alcohol, and UV rays too!
How to Make it From Scratch
So if you’re completely sold and ready to make your own bone broth at home, there are just a few key things you’ll want to keep in mind to ensure you’re getting the most nutrients possible in your batch.
- Whether you’re using beef or chicken bones, be sure to use the best quality you can find. Organic free-range chicken and grass-fed beef are your best options. I like buying these whole organic chickens from Costco, cooking them in the Instant Pot, and using the bones afterward for my broth.
2. You’ll want to add a few tablespoons of raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (I like the Braggs brand) to help draw out the beneficial minerals. Put your bones in the crockpot or large pot, fill with water, add vinegar and let sit for roughly 30 minutes before heating.
3. Use a few roughly chopped carrots (no need to peel your carrots, just give them a rinse) celery, an onion, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, sea salt, and any other vegetable scraps you have for some additional flavour and nutrients.
4. Let it all simmer on low heat for a minimum of 24 hours for best results. Once it’s done you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth before freezing.
5. For easier thawing, you can freeze the broth in silicone ice cube trays and once frozen put the cubes into a ziplock freezer bag until you need them. It’s much quicker to thaw than a large frozen mason jar.
Have you made your own bone broth before? Let me know in the comments below!