It’s been around since our hunter-gathering ancestors discovered fire. And while they may not have correlated the health benefits of bone broth, in ancient folklore, it was believed that the spirit of an animal lay hidden in the marrow of its bones, and when we consumed it, its anima lived on through us. Perhaps in a way it does, in the form of life force energy. 

Here are a few reasons to transform soup bones into broth.

-Essential vitamins and minerals.

Animal bones [beef, poultry, bison, lamb] contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other trace minerals used to build our own bones. In contrast, fishbones contain iodine, essential for healthy thyroid function, brain health, and metabolism, as well as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, the astaxanthin antioxidant found in fish from algae is currently under review as a therapeutic agent for cardiovascular disease.

-May help combat inflammation and improve bone health.

The connective tissue, which gives us glucosamine and chondroitin, has been shown to lessen the symptoms of osteoarthritis.  Marrow brings a host of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to the pot: vitamin A, K, minerals like zinc, boron, manganese, and selenium, and amino acids in collagen, proline, and glycine that our bodies use to build tendons and ligaments. Adding vinegar helps extract these micronutrients, making them more bioavailable. 

-Aids in weight loss and muscle growth.

Bone broth is naturally low in calories and has been shown to promote feelings of fullness due to the gelatin content extracted from the bone marrow, leading to sustained weight loss, and help increase muscle mass.

-May improve sleep, mental function, and memory.

Studies have shown that the amino acid glycine found in bone broth may stimulate the onset of sleepiness when taken before bedtime. The study further examined its effect on brain cognition, found substantial improvement, which may be attributed to a restful night’s sleep. Adding a daily cup of bone broth to your diet has overall health benefits beyond its mere culinary application. At only 31 calories, zero fat, five grams of protein, and three grams of carbs per cup, it’s a win-win. 

Can I get the same benefits from store-bought bone broths?

Avoid canned and box versions since they are typically laden with salt, sometimes as much as 900mg in one cup, which is three-quarters of your RDI. Read the labels. 

Bone broths practically make themselves in a slow-cooker. Just be sure to par-boil the bones first, then roast them off, add water, some root vegetables, a bay leaf, and a few peppercorns, set it, and forget it. The longer it simmers, the richer the broth. Since chicken bones are softer, they need only cook 2-4 hours, six at the most. The same applies to fish. Fish broth takes less than an hour. Add garlic, onion, tomatoes, a few herbs, and within minutes you’ll have a healthy, satisfying broth to make chowders, cioppinos, and classic Bouillabaisse. Whichever way you choose, use quality bones.

Here’s an easy preparation for a classic beef broth. For chicken, follow the same recipe, except choose wings and legs, which contain the most marrow and collagen. Since broth only lasts a few days in the fridge, freeze what you don’t use.

Ingredients for broth:

• 4-5lbs beef leg or knucklebones par-boiled*
• Water
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• 2 yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
• 3 carrots quartered
• 3 stalks of celery, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4-inch piece of ginger, unpeeled, halved horizontally
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Water
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2-bay leaves
• 10 peppercorns
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• Fresh parsley sprigs

*Why par-boil the bones?

The picture on the right illustrates what you don’t want in your broth. SCUM. Blood, cartilage particles, and fat. It will ruin the broth. So don’t skip the process. It only takes a couple of minutes to blanch them.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place bones in a 6-qt pot, add enough water to cover bones, bring to a boil, and continue boiling for 3minutes.
3. Remove pot from heat, strain through a colander, and rinse bones with cold water.
4. On a foil-lined sheet pan, arrange onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and ginger, then lay blanched bones atop and roast for 1-2 hours until caramelized, but not charred [charring will make the broth bitter]. If any charring occurs, remove those bits before continuing with the next step.
5. Place roasted bones, aromatics, and herbs in a 5-6qt pot of a slow-cooker, add vinegar, fill with water, and cover.
6. Let simmer 10-12 hours or until bones are entirely stripped of connective tissue and marrow. Depending on bone density, in my slow-cooker, it takes 18-24 hrs.
7. Strain into a clean, shallow pot and discard bones and aromatics. To clarify the broth of additional sediment, strain again through a cheesecloth-lined sieve.

Cool and degrease the broth

Add 2 cups of ice to quickly cool the broth. DON’T skip this step. Your broth needs to cool. But you don’t want to leave it out or put a steaming pot of broth in the refrigerator; it will invite bacteria to the pot and contaminate the contents of the fridge. Don’t worry, a couple of cups of ice won’t dilute your broth.

After a few hours, a cap of fat will develop. Rendered beef tallow is hard, while chicken fat [schmaltz] is soft. Skim fat and discard. 

Now that your broth is clean and pure, pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it.

Tip

Spice sachets are an excellent way to season your bone broths. Here is a versatile one I use for both beef and chicken, but feel free to create your own.

• 1 Tbsp whole coriander seeds
• 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 Tbsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 10-peppercorns

1. In a dry skillet, lightly toast spices over medium heat to release their oils until they begin to smell fragrant. DO NOT brown spices as they will become bitter. Place spices in the sachet or bundle and tie in cheesecloth.
2. After you’ve cooled and degreased your broth, transfer the pot to the stovetop, add the sachet, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let it steep for another hour. Remove and discard sachet.