homemade bone broth
Bone broth is a nutrient rich food which has many health benefits including supporting gut healing and gut function.
It’s an easy way to make meals more tasty and nutritious as well as reduce good food going to waste.
what is bone broth?
Bone broth is quiet simply a broth made from bones and connective tissue. It’s been used for centuries, as a way to use up the inedible parts of an animal
It can be used as a base for soups or enjoyed on it’s own as a drink.
Bone broth involves simmering the bones of beef, chicken, lamb or fish for a long period of time to create nutrient dense liquid gold.
what is bone broth good for?
Bone broth is a source of many vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The exact nutrients present will depend on the type of bones used however they are high in glutamine and glycine which are amino acids needed to heal the lining of our gut walls.
Our digestive tract is lined with a permeable wall which can become leaky and inflamed due to stress, poor diet, medications, alcohol as well as toxins in the environment. This causes unwanted proteins and pathogens to leach easily into the blood steam which sets of an immune response and creates more work for the body, especially the liver.
Symptoms of leaky gut include gas, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, pain, nutrient deficiencies, autoimmune conditions, poor immune function, headaches, brain fog, fatigue, skin complaints, sugar cravings and low moods.
Adding bone broth into the diet can help to strengthen the lining of the gut walls as well as improve digestion.
Bone broth requires little digestion which means nutrients can be more easily absorbed.
what types of bones do I need for bone broth?
The best quality bones you can find. I recommend finding organic grass fed bones. The toxins, heavy metals and chemicals exposed to animals living in unnatural environments, are leached into the bones and tissues we consume.
Whole organic chickens and meat bones can be sourced from speciality butchers and even some supermarkets. When in doubt ask! The more we ask the more available it becomes.
When sourcing fish look for wild caught as most fish in Australia is farmed using heavy chemical practices.
In Adelaide I have found organic bones, meat and fish from P&A Organic Meats, Organic Box and the Adelaide Farmers Markets.
If you know of a place to source organic bones and meat, please help others out by sharing in the comments below.
how to use bone broth
Bone broth can be used just like any other broth or stock. You can use it as a base for a soup, curry, spaghetti sauce, anything!
It can also be enjoyed on it’s own as a drink. I like drinking it warm with a slice of lemon and fresh or dried herbs.
Bone broth can be made in bulk and then frozen in glass jars to be used as needed.
how to make bone broth
There are so many different ways to make bone broth. I’ve added the recipe below for how I make bone broth when I buy organic beef bones. I also save the bones from roasted chicken, chicken wings, drumsticks, turkey roasts, or lamb cutlets and add them to a bowl in the freezer so I can cook up with my Homemade Vegetable Broth for extra flavour and nutrients.
If you are sensitive or intolerant to any of the ingredients in this bone broth recipe swap them out. You can tailor this to your needs.
What you need:
Organic beef bones (you can also use chicken, lamb, fish)
1 onion roughly chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 celery stalk roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves cut in half
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Thyme (fresh or dried)
Rosemary (fresh or dried)
Parsley (fresh or dried)
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Filtered water
What to do:
Preheat oven to 200°C
Place bones onto a baking tray along with onion, carrots, celery and garlic.
Roast for 30 minutes or until well browned (you can skip this step if you don’t have time)
Transfer bones and vegetables to a slow cooker. Pour in all the juices and loosen any brown bits with a wooden spoon - we want everything in there.
Add the herbs, peppercorns and bay leaf to the slow cooker
Fill the pot with enough water to cover the bones and add the apple cider vinegar.
Cover with a lid and cook on low for 12 to 24 hours.
Allow to cook slightly, then strain the liquid through a sieve into glass jars. I find it easier to remove all the big bones first.
Cover and cool in the fridge.
Remove the layer of fat from the top (which you can use for cooking) and transfer the broth (which may look like jelly) to jars and store in the fridge or freezer. Remember liquid expands when you freeze it so don’t fill the jars all the way to the top. I like using ball mason jars which you can find here.
You can also cook this in a stockpot over the stove on low heat. You’ll need to bring it to a boil, skim off the scum and then reduce it to a simmer for 8-12 hours.
can’t I just buy bone broth?
Yes. There are many different products on the market however make sure you read the back of the pack. Some have inflammatory oils which can contribute to leaky gut as well as preservatives. Most are also stored in plastic.
If you are unable to make your own bone broth look for organic products and read the back of the packet to make sure it’s right for you. The fridge sections of the health food shops normally have good options as well as concentrated pastes you can use to make your own. You can find ready-made bone broth here.
things to note:
If you are new to bone broth or have a sensitive gut, start off slow. Cook, your bone broth for a shorter period of time, even just 30 minutes. Then add one tablespoon to meals to dilute. You can slowly increase as your gut heals.
This is particularly important for those with histamine intolerance. It may be best to work on other areas of your gut healing first or introduce very slowly.
