Bone Broth

I love making my own broths and stocks. Last Sunday I made a beef bone broth. I buy soup bones from the local butcher and on occasion, I ask him to cut up a marrow bone into smaller pieces for me to add to the soup bones. I have a big stock pot I put them in and then cover them with cold water and a good pour of Apple Cider Vinegar, and leave them to soak. The vinegar allegedly helps leach the minerals out of the bones and must be done before the bones are heated up and left for at least an hour. I then add onion, celery and garlic and put it on to simmer for several hours. Depending on my mood, I will often add carrot, leek and any other vegetables in my fridge that need using. Once cooked enough, I leave it to cool on the bench, put it in fridge overnight and then the next morning take all the fat off the top and then strain the broth. The cooked vegetables get "whizzed" up and fed to my worm farm. The bones are frozen until rubbish day.

I use the bone broth as a “cleanse”/”fast”, drinking only it for one or two days.  I can easily drink a litre or more of it on one of these days along with lots of water. It’s a good way to give the digestive system a rest, while still providing good nutrients so the brain and body can still function. I don’t usually feel hungry while doing this and even go to the gym and exercise, although I have to admit, I’ve been know to eat a small protein meal at the end of day two of “fasting” if I’m doing a hard workout the following morning.

I always freeze at least 1.5 litres of the broth in 500 ml portions and keep the rest to drink, and use in any beef dishes or soups I'm making in the next couple of days. Using my own broth means I know exactly what has been used to make it, has no salt, other than what occurs naturally in the vegetables, and is full of nutrients that are very good for "gut" health. It adds a wonderful flavour to mince, soups and stews. 

2 comments Broth, soups, stocks