Immune Boosting Beef Bone Broth & Stock

Bone broth is a non negotiable in my diet, as a matter a fact I am drinking it as I type this. It is a traditional food our forefathers use to make along with fermented, cultured and sprouted foods which are all fantastic for your guts, lots of recipes to come. Thankfully it has come back into fashion, because bone broth:

• Is rich in minerals
• Fortifies the immune system
• Enhances digestion
• Nourishes everything that requires collagen in your body; joints, tendons, ligaments, skin, mucus membranes and bone.

Bones are highly mineralised, with a well made bone broth providing your body with calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfate and fluoride. All these minerals are provided to your body in a form it understands and can really utilise. The apple cider vinegar plays an important role in this recipe as it is the acid which pulls these nourishing minerals from the bones during cooking.

If you have got your hands on good quality bones they will usually be accompanied with marrow, skin, tendons, ligaments and cartilage which are all made up of a protein molecule named collagen. Collagen contains two very important amino acids; proline & glycine.

The main role of collagen in your body is to sustain your tendons, bones, tissue and cartilage. Which is why collagen is promoted as a great supplement to take for the elasticity of your skin. Collagen has also been known to re heal the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore heartburn or GERD and many other conditions associated with intestinal inflammation can be assisted with drinking bone broth. 

I could talk about bone broth and gut health for hours however I feel you get the point enough to know if you aren't drinking bone broth you should be! 

Ingredients

• 2kg organic beef bones (with marrow exposed) or 2kg free range chicken carcasses with feet
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 onion
• bunch of parsley
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (w the mother)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp grated turmeric
• 1 stalk rosemary
• handful thyme
• 1 tsp of peppercorns
• 1 tsp of Himalayan salt
• 4L filtered water

To make a vegan/vegetarian broth: 

• 2+ tbsp wakame or dulse flakes (basically any good quality dried seaweed)
• 6-8 mushrooms - reishi mushrooms (usually in a powder form), oyster mushrooms and/or shiitake mushrooms use a variety and they can be dried mushrooms. 
• agar agar - seaweed extract works the same as gelatin by thickening up the broth and adds a lot of great nutrients (the type of brand determines how much you require to gel the broth) 
• fruit peels - such as lemon/orange taste great in broth and reduces wastage!

Note: you don't need to add all of these ingredients... as long as you have the basis; beef bones, water, apple cider vinegar and from there you can choose your own adventure!

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees and prepare a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Rub the bones with olive oil and salt, place on the tray and put them straight in the oven.
3. Roast the bones for 20 minutes and put them straight into the slow cooker.
4. Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker or pot and cook on low for at least 4 hours for chicken and 12 hours for beef.
5. Strain broth into a large bowl or individual glass jars, to store separately. 
6. The fat will solidify on top of the broth once cooled you can scrap this off and cook with it if you choose not to consume it.

Note: I add a tablespoon of ghee and gelatin to my bone broth once I heat it up to drink it.

Serve and enjoy, because remember good food is meant to be enjoyed especially by those who value it.

If you are interested in learning more about fermented foods and boosting your gut health be sure to check out one of my upcoming fermenting workshops!