You’ve likely heard buzz around bone broth. Loyal followers of the paleolithic diet have sung its praises for years. But bone broth didn’t originate with the paleo craze; it’s long been a staple in cultures around the world. From Asia to Scandinavia, to India and South America, bone broth has been used as both a medicine and flavorful base to traditional recipes—all because of its healing properties and nutritional benefits.

But is bone broth right for you? And is it worth the effort? Let’s break down the basics of bone broth, talk about the benefits and walk through how to make it. 

THE BASICS: WHAT IS BONE BROTH

Bone broth is just like it sounds—broth made from the bones (as well as the skin, feet, tendons and ligaments) of animals. None of these parts of the animal are eaten on their own but simmered together with water, vegetables, herbs and spices, and vinegar, they extract vitamins, minerals and nutrients into a good-for-you broth. And it’s a way to eat “nose to tail,” not wasting these otherwise-discarded parts of the animal.

Bone broth is most commonly made from beef or chicken bones; however, it can be made from almost any type of animal (even fish!). Remember, quality matters and sourcing the animals well (organic grass-fed, pasture-raised, wild caught) is essential for the best broth.  

THE BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH

Bone broth is touted to be the answer to almost any ailment—from allergies and asthma to arthritis and inflammation. It contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorous as well as collagen, glycine and glutamine. Bone broth can help: 

• Improve gut health and digestion
• Reduce inflammation and manage weight
• Promote skin, hair and nail health—delaying signs of aging
• Boost immunity
• Improve sleep
• Detoxify
• . . . and more!

Whether you want to avoid colds this winter, improve your gut health or have healthier-looking skin, bone broth may be the best “medicine” for you. And the only way to know if it works is to try it! So let’s walk through how to make your first batch of broth.

HOW TO MAKE BONE BROTH AT HOME

Making bone broth is like making a smoothie—you don’t necessarily need a recipe. Rather, having a general guide for “throwing stuff in” provides enough direction with plenty of flexibility to make it your own (and use up whatever you happen to have on hand)! So here is your general guide to making bone broth, step-by-step.

(Prefer more precision? Click here for my favorite Homemade Beef Bone Broth Recipe.)

STEP 1: Buy bones from a farmer 

You will need 1 pound of organic grass-fed beef bones or pasture-raised chicken bones. 

STEP 2: Roast

Before simmering the broth, roast the bones and vegetables. (You can make broth without doing this step; however, roasting adds flavor and richness to your broth!)

• Preheat oven to 450 F.
• On a parchment-lined sheet pan, place 1 lb bones, along with an assortment of veggies: carrots, celery, onions, parsnips, garlic, etc. 
• Roast for 30 minutes, flip and roast for an additional 20 minutes.

STEP 3: Simmer

Get out your slow cooker! (You can also simmer the broth in a stock pot on the stove but this requires that you’re home the entire cooking time.) Combine the following and cook on low for 24 hours: 

• Roasted bones and veggies 
• Salt and peppercorns
• Spices and/or fresh herbs (parsley, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, sage, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Enough water to cover all ingredients by 1 inch

STEP 4: Strain and store

When your broth is done, simply strain, allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week (or six months in the freezer). 

STEP 5: Enjoy!

There are so many ways to enjoy your homemade broth! 

• Sip a hot mug of bone broth on a cold winter day.
• Use bone broth as the base for a big pot of homemade soup.
• Add bone broth to recipes like tacos or skillets (or any other recipe that calls for water) to pack in more nutrition and flavor.
• Freeze bone broth in ice cube trays or silicone muffin pans for easy recipe add-ins. This also relieves the pressure to use refrigerated broth within a week.

TIPS FOR THE BEST BROTH

Here are a few tips to boost flavor and nutrition, and increase efficiency as you make your broth. 

• Save the carcass of a whole organic pasture-raised chicken (rotisserie or one you’ve made at home) to use for the bones. And make sure to keep the entire carcass intact including the skin, bones and tendons! 
• If you have bones (or a carcass) but you’re not ready to make a batch of broth quite yet, place them in a zip-close bag and store them in the freezer.
• Buy chicken feet to add to your broth for extra collagen. (Ask your local farmer or search online for a source.)
• To infuse extra flavor into your broth, leave some meat on the bones.
• Save vegetable scraps (celery leaves and ends, peels and ends of carrots or turnips, outer layers of onion, etc.), place them in a zip-close bag and freeze them until you’re ready to make a batch of broth. This is a great way to make use of otherwise-wasted food! 

SO … IS IT WORTH IT?

And there you have it—the basics, benefits and a step-by-step guide for making your first batch of broth. But you may still be asking yourself, “Is it worth it?”

Yes, it’s absolutely worth it. Why? 

• You’re getting the freshest, highest-quality, most-nutritious broth at the lowest cost.
• You’re getting the best-flavored broth, especially if you’re roasting the bones and veggies.
• You’re supporting local farmers—and creating relationships with them too!
• Your home will smell amazing.
• And last but not least, it’s delicious. 

Once you make your own bone broth, you’ll never want to use the store-bought stuff again. Try it and let me know how it turned out by emailing enlightennutritioncoaching@gmail.com.