For as long as I can remember my family has always made homemade broth. Growing up on a small farm my parents always used every part of the animal. This would include the bones for what they called “Skeleton Soup”. Which in all realness was just bone broth that they used to make a wide variety of other soups. It was not until I got older that I realized most folks actually would throw out the bones. I was stunned! Not only what a waste, but you are missing out on some of the most nutritious parts of the animal!
Bone Broth Benefits
Growing up I never realized how many health benefits were packed into these homemade soup stocks my parents would regularly make. However, once I reached adulthood and began to learn more about nutrition I was amazed at how many incredible nutrients you get from slow cooked homemade bone broth. Here are just a few:
- Collagen – Cartilage that is cooked down with the bones is made of about 70% collagen, which turns it to gelatin. This then provides the body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Research has shown that consuming collagen via bone broth can help with overall joint health, improve existing bone and joint issues (like osteoarthritis), and promote skin elasticity.
- Nutrient Rich – The bones themselves are rich in a plethora of vitamins and nutrients which include; calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, vitamins A and K, zinc, and many more!
- Improved Digestion – Amino acids found in bone broth, such as glutamine, may actually help to improve issues like leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome.
- Improved Sleep – Research has shown that glycine, an amino acid found in bone broth, has the potential to improve sleep quality
There are a number of other health benefits associated with homemade bone broth which include; promoting weight loss, reducing inflammation, and many others!
Making Homemade Bone Broth
Yes, you can buy bone broth from the grocery store. However, it is going to be far less superior nutritionally wise to making your own. Making homemade bone broth is very simplistic, so I highly encourage you to make your own!
Simple Steps to Make Homemade Bone Broth
- Bones – Head to your local butcher shop and purchase what I would call the “scraps” – odds and ends that you can normally find very cheap. Honestly, anything would work pork, beef, chicken, etc. I also, do NOT cook my bones before making broth out of them. I use thawed room temperature bones, but keep in mind raw bones will take much longer to cook than if you used ones that are precooked. Alternatively, if you have no idea where your local butcher shop is, you can buy a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, enjoy the meat and then save the bones, skin, etc. for a tasty bone broth!
- In a large stockpot add your bones, one large onion, celery (about half a stock), carrots (1-2 cups), water (quantity is dependent on how large your pot is, but enough for sure to cover all of the contents in the pot), and seasonings – I like to use salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, thyme, a bay leaf, and garlic salt. There really is no right or wrong – feel free to throw in any other veggies you’d like or any other additional seasonings.
- Allow the broth to cook covered on low for an ample amount of time – the longer the better. Anywhere from 8+hrs. The longer you cook it the more goodness that is going to come out of the bones. Again, if your bones are precooked, you can decrease this time significantly – about 2hrs of cooking time.
- Taste, add any additional seasonings as needed
- Enjoy! Drink straight or use your homemade broth as a base for any soup you’d like