How To Make Bone Broth + The Benefits of Collagen-Rich Broth

The best tasting bone broth takes a while to cook, and comes out with a thickness. I like to simmer the bones and joints with a touch of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps extract the collagen from the bones, and can help loosen and dissolve tougher bits.

However, you don’t really taste the vinegar (unless you use a ton of it).

Making Bone Broth

• It takes between 4-6 hours to make a good chicken broth. A good beef, lamb or veal broth takes up to 18 hours. The larger the bones, the longer the cooking time. It should make a nice gel when cooled.
• I typically buy tendons at my local butcher once a week for additional collagen. I’ll also fill up freezer bags with bones during the week.
• The reason why you cook it low and slow in the Crockpot is because high heat damages the collagen.
• I like to start a broth in the morning and let it simmer on the back burner of the stove while I go about my day.
• I like to use grass-fed beef or pasture-raised chicken for a protein-rich, mineral-packed broth. Conventionally raised chicken will typically render less collagen.
• The more bones you use, the higher in protein your broth will be- and more flavorful/thick.
• If you’d like to kick the flavor up a notch, you can add your favorite vegetables and herbs and spices to the finished product.
• Making broth from roasted bones is extra delicious, just keep in mind that the roasting will take some of the collagen out of the broth.
• You can indeed reuse beef bones a second and third time, but amount of collagen produced diminishes on each pass.
• You can preserve your fresh broth in quart jars if you are not going to use immediately, or want to keep it available during the week.
• After all this, you may want to just purchase the pre-made bone broth. It’s cheap and easy to make, but consumes your day.
• You can purchase pre-made, flavored bone broth to sip as a snack, or to cook with. This is a great option when you’re too busy to make it yourself, or want bone broth on-the-go. Sweet and savory flavors are available.

8 Bone Broth Benefits

1. There’s some anecdotal evidence that bone broth can help you sleep better, plump your skin, and ease joint pain.
2. I like to add turmeric to my broth occasionally, for the taste, and the anti-inflammatory benefits.
   The reason it takes a while to cook is that you’re breaking down the cartilage of the animal. The result is a collagen-rich gelatin, including amino acids, and minerals.
3. One of the reasons I drink bone broth between meals is that it keeps me from getting hungry during the day, and I end up taking in less total calories. This is great for weight loss.
4. Bone broth is flexible in terms of how you can use it. I’ve added it to baked goods, soups, and risotto for a hearty flavor. Also, protein shakes, smoothies, and coffee.
5. It’s rich in gelatin which can help with your joints, skin and hair.
6. It contains glycine which is vital for your liver to function properly.
7. It strengthens the immune system. When buying or making bone broth choose organic bones if possible, preferably from grass-fed or free-range animals. You can also include other animal parts like chicken feet which are rich sources of collagen.
8. For many centuries, bones have been used as a traditional remedy for colds and flu. It has an analgesic effect on the muscles – it can relieve pain in case of muscle strains or other sports injuries, but also improves the immune system.
9. Prevents acne – with regular consumption collagen production increases which is vital for healthy skin.
10. Helps with sugar cravings – many people who have tried bone broth have said that it reduces or even eliminates their sugar addiction. It also helps with weight loss as it regulates appetite.
11. In the case of skin problems, such as dandruff and psoriasis, drinking a glass of bone broth will help you get rid of them.
12. Helps with insomnia – it is a traditional remedy for this problem. Consuming at least one glass of bone broth will relieve the symptoms and help you sleep better.
13. Bone broth can be successfully used as an effective treatment of candida infections, especially thrush. Consume it regularly to prevent the outbreaks or use if you already have thrush.
14. A glass of bone broth every morning is a great way to start your day as it can prevent all kinds of ailments, boost your metabolism and improve your gut health.
15. It’s extremely easy to prepare on the top of that! You just have to boil some bones for few hours on low heat with any vegetables you want. Then remove the bones and drink the broth.

To sum up, bone broth is an extremely healthy food that should be included in everyone’s diet. It boosts the immune system, helps with joint pain, boosts skin health, and can help you lose excess fat.

Ingredients For Bone Broth

Ingredients you need are: – beef, chicken or any other type of bones you want.

Any vegetables you want (commonly used are carrots, onions, celery stalks).

Amounts depend on how much bone broth you want to make. For 1 liter of broth use at least 500 grams of bones and 1 kilogram of vegetables.

High-Quality Bones

Make sure you buy high-quality bones – they should be organic, grass-fed, or at least free-range. You can also use bones from animals you usually don’t eat meat from, like chicken feet for example. The reason behind this is that it’s cheaper to make bone broth with bones from animals you don’t eat much of.

Vegetables

When it comes to vegetables, the best ones are onions, carrots, celery stalks, and parsley because they contain vital nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C which all play an important role in our health.

If the vegetables you use don’t have a lot of leaves, at least add some parsley because it’s packed with nutrients. In case you want to make chicken bone broth, always add onion and celery stalks because they contain vital minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

Avoid Overcooking

It’s very important not to overcook the broth – it should boil for no more than two hours. Then use a strainer to remove all the bones and vegetables, preferably with cheesecloth or just a normal kitchen towel.

Bone Broth Storage

The next step is storage. If you use glass, never fill it up completely to allow for expansion. Only store bone broth in glass containers if they have been sterilized.

If you have a large enough plastic container, it’s best to use that one with a lid – bone broth should be stored in a dark and cold place. If there is a layer of fat on the surface when you store your broth in the fridge, don’t worry about it – just remove it before you consume the broth.

Bone broth can be stored for as long as two weeks in the fridge and even longer if you freeze it. If you do decide to freeze your bone broth, leave some room at the top so it doesn’t expand and break the container.

If boiling bones sounds like too much of a hassle (it’s not) and broth seems like too much of a fuss (it’s not), you can definitely buy it. However, make sure to read the label and check where it comes from because many companies add other ingredients like flavor enhancers and MSG which is harmful for your health.

If bought broth contains other ingredients that look suspicious – don’t buy it – better be safe than sorry.

MAKING BONE BROTH.