Bone broth: it’s good for what ails you.

On Saturday I bought some home-made chicken bone broth at the Farmer’s Market.

It’s not my normal purchase, but I know it’s good for me and my family to drink, and well, with a lot of sickness going around, I thought it would be good to have on hand.

Let me tell you…I’m glad it was ready to go in my refrigerator!

On Sunday night I got hit with a stomach bug of some sort – my belly was not happy:(

When I was finally able to eat or drink, all I could muster was lukewarm Chicken Bone Broth (home made) and raspberries frozen with some water in popsicle form.

I’ve made beef broth before, but I find chicken broth to be tastier.

According to Dr. Josh Axe “Bone broth is considered a powerful detoxification agent since it helps the digestive system expel waste and promotes the liver’s ability to remove toxins, helps maintain tissue integrity, and improves the body’s use of antioxidants.”

Bone broth is one of those “ancient” recipes that are becoming popular again.

It’s just so good for your health and we are craving good health!

So what’s so great about bone broth?

1. It’s healing to your gut lining

2. It aids in dextoxificaion

3. Maintains healthy skin

4. Can improve mood and sleep

5. Improves immune function

6. Aids in muscle building and protects joints

If you are ready to make some bone broth from yourself (please do not buy store-bought bone broth!) here is a recipe for you.

Chicken Bone Broth:

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken bones from a healthy source (1-2 carcasses or a random assortment of leftover chicken bones)
• 2 chicken feet for extra gelatin (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 bay leaves (dried)
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 5 black peppercorns
• filtered water
• Optional: 1 carrot, 2 stalk of celery, 1/2 bunch of parsley, an inch long piece of ginger, cloves of garlic

Instructions

1. Place the bones in a large stock pot or crock pot.
2. Pour (filtered) water over the bones and add the vinegar and bay leaves and
3. thyme.
4. In a stock pot, bring the broth to a boil. Once it has reached a vigorous boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until done.
5. In the crockpot, cook on HIGH for 2 hours then turn down to LOW until done.
6. After a few hours of simmering, remove the impurities that float to the surface. A frothy/foamy layer will form and it can be easily scooped off with a big spoon. Throw this part away. Grass-fed and healthy animals will produce much less of this than conventional animals.
7. About 6-8 hours before broth is done, add veggies and fresh herbs.
8. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain using a fine metal strainer to remove all the bits of bone. When cool enough, store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.
9. For chicken bones, I recommend 24-48 hours. If using beef bones, I recommend 48+ hours. The longer you cook the bones, the more nutrient-dense your broth will be.

Beef Bone Broth Recipe from . 

Calories: 379 per serving Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones
• 2 pounds meaty bones such as short ribs
• 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
• 4 quarts filtered water
• 3 celery stalks, halved
• 3 carrots, halved
• 3 onions, quartered
• Handful of fresh parsley
• Sea salt

Serving Size: 3 Quarts

Procedure

1. Place bones in a pot or a crockpot, add apple cider vinegar and water, and let the mixture sit for 1 hour so the vinegar can leach the mineral out of the bones.
2. Add more water if needed to cover the bones.
3. Add the vegetables bring to a boil and skim the scum from the top and discard.
4. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 24-72 hours (if you’re not comfortable leaving the pot to simmer overnight, turn off the heat and let it sit overnight, then turn it back on and let simmer all day the next day)
5. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, throw in a handful of fresh parsley for added flavor and minerals.
6. Let the broth cool and strain it, making sure all marrow is knocked out of the marrow bones and into the broth.
7. Add sea salt to taste and drink the broth as is or store in fridge up to 5 to 7 days or freezer up to 6 months for use in soups or stews.

Sources:
DrAxe.com
ChrisKresser.com