This summer I did a spur of the moment Facebook Live and explained how to make bone broth.
I just happened to have a crockpot full cooking, so I thought, why not?
Well, over 200K views, 1200 shares and just as many “likes” later, the bone broth video lives in its viral sharing mode attesting to the healthy benefits of drinking this magical elixir.
So what is it exactly?
Bone broth is the stuff your grandmother or great grandmother made. Using the carcass or bones from a previous meal, your granny would throw some onions, carrots, celery and who knows what into the big soup pot on the stove, add some secret herbs and spices, and cook this soup for days and days.
The longer it cooked, the better it tasted—and the better it was for you.
You see, the bones in animals (just like us humans) are the storehouses for the minerals are bodies need to make strong bones.
Cooking them in liquid this way pulls out those minerals making them readily available to us. Chicken soup for the body AND the soul!
Not only does this broth do you right by helping to strengthen your own teeth and bones, it also contains massive amounts of glutamine which helps to heal your gut. The little bit of fat in the broth helps you absorb the minerals as well.
Bones also contain the marrow which is a wonderful additive as well to bone broth. Marrow is nutrient rich in it’s own right and the healthy fat and nutrients can help with hormone regulation.
There’s also the collagen and glucosamine richness contained in them bones—giving your joints, skin, hair and nails an extra boost that a lot of people buy in pill form.
Now that you know the benefits of bone broth, are you ready to make a vat of it yourself?
I thought so!
Here’s a recipe from my book, Part Time Paleo (Plume, 2014) that will serve you well.
Beef Bone Broth
Yields approx. 7–8 cups
- 2 lbs roasted oxtails
- 2 lbs roasted beef knuckles or neck bones (whatever bones you can find)
- 7 cups water
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 yellow onions, halved
- 3 stalks celery, halved
- 2 leeks, trimmed and halved (or to fit in pot)
- TK sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 sprigs fresh oregano
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Place oxtails and other beef bones in a large stockpot over high heat. Add water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, add apple cider vinegar, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Add garlic, onions, celery, leeks, rosemary, oregano, thyme, peppercorns, and salt. Continue simmering uncovered for 5–6 hours, adding water 1 cup at a time, if needed. Strain the broth and cool completely, uncovered, discarding all bones, vegetables, and herbs.
This broth can also be made in a slow cooker (cooked on low for up to 72 hours).
Leanne Ely is a NYT bestselling author and the creator of SavingDinner.com, the original menu planning website, bringing families back to the dinner table for over 15 years.
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