… all about the bone sauce!
With our country and global changes that have lead us to disconnecting ourselves from outside distractions… we have been made to connect closer to our immediate families. Whether that means more home workouts, online schooling, job changes, or simply getting creative with passing the time.. now, more than ever, it’s time to genuinely bond with our loved ones!
What better way than cooking? A quick recipe for today is over Bone Broth and all of it’s benefits! Before we deep dive into the process of making Bone Broth, here are some important health boosting hacks that this delicious treat provides our bodies:
Bone Broth Benefits
COLLAGEN! Collagen is vital in providing our bodies the ability to recover from workouts, stress, or any other physical demand you put yourself through. Collagen builds stronger muscles, ligaments, and joints. Afterall, that’s what our bodies foundation is made up of! Collagen derived from Bone Broth turns into gelatin, which provides us with natural amino acid nutrients, aka the building blocks for protein and our muscles! Beyond just giving us healthy tissues, it also is a great source of longevity for our skin, nails, and hair! Collagen = GAINS TRAIN!
GUT HEALTH. Bone Broth has been known to help repair and boost our second brains functions. The second brain.. being our gut! It aids in healthy digestion while lowering inflammation. Those who suffer from IBS, digestive upset, or chronic joint irritations are all candidates for the Bone Broth train.
SLEEP. Yes…. SLEEP. Bone Broth is obviously made from bones.. however, bones hold many nutrients and essential amino acids. One of which being GLYCINE. Glycine is an amino acid that helps us recover, rest, and get our bodies + brain into it’s REM cycle while we sleep. Hitting a deep restful sleep is the most beneficial way to recover fully from workouts, long days, and any physically demanding task.
BOOST IMMUNITY! Let’s talk Vitamins + Minerals. Bone Broth provides a boatload of healthy vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, K, Zinc, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Selenium.. just to name a few! Having a healthy cup of some Bone Broth provides a good dose of our vitamin and minerals to help support our immune system and other functions such as a healthy metabolizing thyroid thanks to minerals like Selenium!
STRENGTH. Strong Bones + Joints. Thanks to all the nutrients derived from a serving of delicious broth, if it’s not obvious already…. Bone Broth is a great way to build your overall bone and joint health. With stronger bones + joints you can say goodbye to many arthritis worries and say hello to a heavier SQUAT! :)
HOW TO MAKE THIS SUPER FOOD?
IT’S EASY!
The first ingredient you’ll need is… well…. BONES! You can find bones at your local grocery store or ask a butcher for some leftover chops! I find the best bones to use are marrow bones or chicken feet. Both provide all nutrients we have covered with the healthiest doses of collagen, amino acids, and vitamins + minerals. You can find marrow bones and chicken feet for a great budget. Usually anywhere between $5-10 depending on your local grocer/butcher.
Marrow Bones from Sprouts. You can also find them at grocers such as Central Market. Marrow bones from Sprouts cost about $6.
Once you have your bones, you’ll need a pot for boiling. Be sure that it is big enough to hold about 2-3 pounds of bones. If you wish to add flavoring besides salt.. you can get creative and add some chopped vegetables and herbs of your choice.
Lastly, WATER! Just enough water to cover the tops of where the bones sit in the pot.
Directions:
After all bones and ingredients are in your pot ready to be heated on the stove, you will bring everything up to a good boil, then lower the temperature to a very low heat in order to allow everything to slow simmer for 12-24 hours. The longer you let the pot simmer down, the more nutrients you will extract! The rule is no less than 12 hours and typically no longer than 24 hours. I generally simmer my broth for the full 24 hours until it’s nice and jiggly! Sometimes broth will come out jiggly or like the standard liquid/soup consistency. One way to ensure a “jiggly” broth, if that’s what you prefer… you can add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the water before boiling! It’s all about preference though.
When your broth is ready to be taken off the stove, you will want to strain the liquid into a container(s). Removing all bones and other ingredients. If you find that you have a fatty layer build up when you chill it in the fridge, scoop it off the top and SAVE IT! That’s rendered animal tallow. You can use it later for optional cooking fat. It’s delicious as well as nutritious and a great source of wholesome animal fat!
With your personal batch of Bone Broth, you may drink it straight, sip on it, or add it to soups/stews. There’s no right or wrong way to consume this liquid gold.
Enjoy!