How to Make Bone Broth
Traditional bone broth is one of the most versatile, nourishing foods that exist! It’s full of protein and collagen, and improves gut health among many other things. People have been making it for thousands of years across various cultures, and you can make it in your own kitchen with just a few simple ingredients!
For years my husband knew he should be drinking bone broth, but it was just too expensive to buy regularly. On top of that, store-bought broth often contained unnecessary unhealthy ingredients. Once I learned to make it myself, it was a game changer! For the past couple of years, it’s become part of my regular routine to make two stockpots every 4-6 weeks. It has been one of the most important foods in my husband’s recovery from Crohn’s disease, and now we make sure to always have it on hand to drink and cook with.
Why Should You Make Bone Broth?
This old-fashioned food has been becoming more popular again for good reason! It’s full of so many health benefits that can help you if you’re struggling with gut health, needing extra nutrition during pregnancy or postpartum, experiencing joint issues, or just have a common cold. It’s also the secret ingredient to many culinary dishes across various cultures. Whether you want an easy way to add more nutrition to your diet or want to take your cooking up a notch, making your own bone broth is a great way to do it!
Health Benefits
Have you ever heard to eat chicken soup when you’re sick? Most store-bought chicken soup won’t do much good when you’re not feeling well, however, traditionally chicken soup was made with homemade bone broth which gave rise to this old-fashioned remedy. There’s lots of good reasons for it! Bone broth is full of protein and contains many other nutrients in forms that your body can easily absorb. It’s extremely beneficial for overall health.
Improves gut health – The collagen in bone broth can help to seal the digestive tract, allowing for more nutrients to be absorbed into the body and even helping to repair leaky gut! It can reduce food sensitivities and support healthy bacteria levels, and it has anti-inflammatory effects as well.
Assists with healthy skin, hair, and nails – Collagen is also known to improve your skin, hair, and nails. Some people have even found it to have anti-aging effects and reduce wrinkles!
Boosts immune system – Since most of your immune system is in your gut, it makes sense that bone broth would also build your immune system. The effects it has on your digestive system can help to prevent sickness and aid in recovery.
Helps your body detox – No matter how healthy we try to be, in our society, our bodies are constantly being exposed to toxins. Bone broth contains various nutrients and amino acids that support cellular and liver detoxification. It also improves the body’s ability to use antioxidants.
Increases bone and joint health – The collagen in bone broth can restore bone cartilage, increase bone strength, and support healthy bone mineral density.
Improves sleep – The amino acids in bone broth reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. It also contains magnesium which is essential for a good night’s sleep.
Cooking with Bone Broth
Bone broth is one of my favorite ingredients to use in all types of dishes, and I’m not alone! It’s traditionally used by chefs in Asia, France, Italy, and other cultures. Even if you’re just making simple home-cooked meals, bone broth adds a wonderful, rich flavor to so many foods.
Aside from using it as a base for delicious soups, you can use it in gravies, sauces, or just in place of regular broth or water in most savory dishes that call for extra liquid. You’ll never have to buy bullion again! Have fun experimenting with using homemade bone broth in your favorite recipes.
What Type of Bones to Use
Optimally, you want to use a mixture of beef bones. Make sure many of them include marrow and connective tissue. It’s also good if they still have bits of meat on them. Knuckle bones, oxtail bones, and marrow bones are all great in broth!
For the highest quality broth, it’s important to pay attention to the source of the bones. Bones from organic, grass-fed, grass-finished cows are the best. If you’re not able to find bones from cows raised this way, the most important thing is that the cows were raised in a healthy environment and were grass-fed for at least part of their lives.
Where to Buy Bones
You may be able to find bones at a grocery store, however, it’s more likely that you can find higher quality bones in larger quantities and for a better price from a local butcher or rancher. Check out a local farmers market and talk to people in your area. The bones are often one of the least-desirable parts of the cow, so ranchers have plenty that they would love to sell you. Bones are also available online from various places.
How to Store
Bone broth will keep in the fridge for 5 days. If you leave the fat on top as an airtight seal, this will extend the shelf-life for a few more days.
When I make bone broth, I immediately place it in the fridge and let the fat harden for a day or two. Once I remove the fat and pour the broth into smaller containers, I begin the 5 day countdown.
You can also freeze bone broth for up to 6 months. While there are a few different methods, I recommend using freezer-safe glass food storage containers. Just make sure to not fill them quite to the top since liquids expand when frozen.
Tools You May Need
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Ingredients
Beef Bones – Organic, grass-fed, grass-finished bones are best. Try to find a variety of bones that include marrow and connective tissue such as knuckle bones, oxtail bones, and marrow bones.
Water – The type of water you use makes a difference! I prefer using good well water or spring water. If necessary, you can use filtered tap water or whatever other type of water you typically drink. Water with a higher pH will do a better job of extracting the nutrients from the bones.
Apple cider vinegar – In addition to improving the flavor, apple cider vinegar helps to extract the nutrients from the bones.
Optional: Vegetables and herbs – Many people like to add vegetables or vegetable scraps and herbs to their bone broth. To retain nutrients, it’s best to do this closer to the end of making the broth. I prefer to leave them out altogether to make the broth more versatile for using in different recipes.
How to Make Bone Broth
Making bone broth is a simple process that can easily become part of your normal routine!
Prepare the Bones
To start, blanch the bones to remove impurities. Add your bones to a stockpot and cover with water. I usually use about 4-5 pounds per 8 quart pot, however, for richer broth, you can add as many bones as you would like as long as they’re able to stay completely under when the pot is full of water.
Turn your stove on high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Turn down to medium-high heat, and continue to boil for 20 minutes. You’ll see lots of foam and other residue come to the top of the water.
Go ahead and preheat your oven to 450° F.
Once the bones are done boiling, rinse them with cold water to get off any loose residue. You don’t need to scrub hard; just remove whatever comes off easily. Make sure to leave as much marrow in the bones as possible.
Next, roast the bones to improve the flavor. Place the bones on a baking sheet and place in the 450° F oven for 30 minutes. Flip them over and roast for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven. This is where I usually like to put the bones in the fridge and call it a day, however, you can make your broth in one day if you have enough time.
Make the Broth
Now it’s time to make the broth! Put the bones (and any fat that came off when they were roasted) in a clean stockpot, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and then fill up the pot the rest of the way with water, making sure to completely cover all of the bones.
Bring the water to a simmer, cover partially (I leave the lid tilted), and leave it on the stove for at least 12 hours. The longer the better! Replenish the water as it evaporates.
Remove the bones with a slotted spoon. You can either place the broth in the fridge right away or cool with ice before putting in the fridge.
24-48 hours later, the broth will have thickened and there will be a hard layer of fat on top. Remove the fat which can be used for cooking.
Then, place the broth back on the stove on medium heat and warm until it is thin. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth and store in the fridge or freezer.
You can now use it in recipes or heat it up to drink as a warm, soothing beverage.
If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome
Recipes with Bone Broth
Bone Broth
Versatile and nutrient-dense, bone broth is an amazing beverage you can easily make at home! It's full of health benefits and can be used in recipes or as a soothing drink.
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds beef bones
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- water
Instructions
- Add bones to a 7 quart stockpot and cover with water.
- On high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Turn down to medium-high heat, and continue to boil for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 450° F.
- Rinse the bones with cold water to remove off any loose residue.
- Place the bones on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Flip them over and roast for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- Place the bones (and any fat that came off when they were roasted) in a clean stockpot.
- Add apple cider vinegar and fill the rest of the way with water, making sure to completely cover all of the bones.
- Bring the water to a simmer, place a tilted lid on top, and let simmer for at least 12 hours.
- Replenish the water as it evaporates.
- Remove the bones with a slotted spoon.
- You can either place the broth in the fridge right away or cool with ice before putting in the fridge.
- 24-48 hours later, or once the fat on top is hard, remove it.
- Place the broth on the stove on medium heat and warm until it is thin.
- Strain the broth through a cheesecloth and store in the fridge or freezer.
