The following bone broth recipe is a basic, yet delicious and nutritious one that we turn to when we’re feeling under the weather or when we just want a warm, hearty soup for dinner. I have followed many other recipes over the years, and have picked out the things that I like to come up with my own yummy bone broth creation!
There are a few important points to make about cooking your own broth, so before jumping to the recipe, read what I’ve learned from broth experts!
Keep It Simple
I used to pack as many vegetable add-ins as I had lying around into my bone broth. Carrots, celery, kale–if it was in my house I added it in! But you’ll find a lot of broth gurus say to leave those add-ins for other broths and keep your bone broth very simple in order to preserve the signature bone broth flavor and avoid throwing off the whole experience by adding too much.
So for my bone broth, I only add a few staple ingredients to enhance the flavor and nutrients. But the end result is a powerful, delicious, nutritious tasting soup!
The Cool Down Period
I didn’t know that high heat soups can easily harbor harmful bacteria if not cooled down properly! Did you know that? Well, apparently there is a crucial trick to avoid this issue and that is the cool down period. Whereas I typically let any soup rest on the counter for up to an hour before placing in the fridge, these long-simmered broths need a much faster cool down time.
Bone broth gurus advise to add ice cubes to help chill your broth down quickly. This shouldn’t dilute your broth to the point that it takes away any flavor, but my rule of thumb is to add 1 cup of ice cubes for every 6 cups of broth. Works for me perfectly. However, an alternative is to place your strained pot of broth in another large pot full of ice. This way, you don’t need to worry about diluting your broth by placing ice directly in it.
Health Benefits of Bone Broth
Some health benefits of homemade bone broth are…
- Treat leaky gut syndrome. The gelatin and amino acids contained in bone broth are perfect for rebuilding intestinal lining and restoring an unhealthy gut. People with IBS, autoimmune diseases and malabsorption concerns turn to bone broth as a natural way to heal their gut! People who follow an AIP diet benefit tremendously from regularly consuming bone broth as well.
- Overcome food intolerances and allergies. When the intestines are repaired and healthy tissues are restored in the gut, people are able to overcome their food intolerances and even food allergies.
- Boost immune system. I’ve mentioned this before, in this post, medical researchers have realized that 70 percent of your entire immune system lies within the gut. Therefore, sickness and disease likely originates from an unhealthy gastrointestinal system! For this reason, experts recommend consuming bone broth on a daily basis!
- Contains a powerful load of vitamins, minerals, glutamine and other proteins that your body needs for optimal functioning. Plus, all of those nutrients are easily digestible and absorbed in this broth form!
To be honest, I am guilty of only making bone broth when we’re sick and need the immune support factors, but plan to make it more often since it’s so easy and so good for preventing illness!
If you’d prefer an even simpler way of getting the health benefits of bone broth, check out the bone broth powder on Dr. Axe’s website!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of Raw bones from any grass fed carcass – I used bones from venison shoulders (my husband is a hunter) in this broth, but you can use whatever you have! It’s advised to cut the bones into chunky pieces. I don’t always.
- 1 onion, chopped – any color is fine
- Cloves from 1/2 – 1 whole garlic knot
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh ginger root
- 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
- Lemon juice squeezed from 1/2 a lemon
- 3 Sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon of ground thyme
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt + Pepper to taste (taste after its cooked!)
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a large pot and fill with water until bones and all ingredients are fully covered. Cover pot with lid. (See crockpot directions below as an alternative to stove cooking.)
- Turn heat to medium high until boiling, then reduce to medium low to maintain a constant simmer/boil. Keep covered.
- Cook for 6-24 hours. The longer its cooked the more nutrient-dense and flavorful your broth will be.
- Turn off heat and strain into another pot. Add enough ice cubes to reduce the temperature quickly (see explanation above). Cover and let cool for a few minutes before serving. You can then transfer remaining broth to refrigerator.
Crockpot cooking method: Add all ingredients to a crockpot, making sure you have enough water to just cover bones. Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for 24-48 hours. Then follow step 4 above.
Now enjoy a cup of bone broth daily for optimal gut health. Especially those with irritable bowel disease, autoimmune disorders and food allergies will benefit from regularly drinking this homemade bone broth.
Remember to add this recipe to your arsenal of home remedies to treat illnesses like sinus infections and colds! Read more remedies in this post!
Why do you love bone broth? Have a delicious bone broth recipe yourself? Please share it in the comments!