There are few nutrition fads that I recommend to my clients – but this is one of them. Bone broth benefits are numerous yet it costs next to nothing, tastes awesome and is extremely easy to make.
Return on investment?
Very high.
It’s actually kind of silly that we have to refer to it as “bone broth.” But the boxed stuff you at the grocery store is basically just…salty water.
Bone broth refers to broth that is made the traditional way, with real bones. Great-grandma style.
Bone broth benefits include…
The first thing I think of when it comes to bone broth is bone and joint health.
The next big thing is gut health. Even if you don’t have digestive problems, gut health has everything to do with inflammation, immune function, allergies, food sensitivities, autoimmune disease and even mood disorders like depression or anxiety. Bone broth repairs and soothes the gut lining.
There are also anti-aging benefits. Bone broth nourishes your skin, hair, nails and connective tissue. Some say it can even prevent cellulite and sagging skin.
I don’t love the term “superfood” because it’s gimmicky marketing speak…but I do think bone broth is a rather super food.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of all is getting in the kitchen and doing something so easy yet so nourishing for yourself. That simple act of self care slows down the frenetic pace of life, if only for a few minutes. It’s grounding. And THAT is super too.
It sounds good, but…
How do you make broth out of bones? Do I have to buy bones from the butcher? How many? What kind? And then what…do I just make soup? Is it going to be gross?
Don’t worry, I’m going to share my dead-simple recipe for easy bone broth in this article. You don’t need to go to the butcher, unless you want. And the result is so delicious and flavorful you’ll kick yourself for ever buying broth at the store.
It takes about 5 minutes to prepare
1. First, you roast a chicken.
Or you buy a rotisserie chicken. You eat the meat. When you’re done, voila! You have a chicken carcass.
Put it into your slow cooker or Instant Pot. I actually prefer using my 8-quart Instant Pot Duo AS a slow cooker. Yup. It is a multi-function machine and I love the stainless steel insert. (Most slow cookers have ceramic inserts which pose a questionable lead hazard.)
Anyway, stick your chicken carcass into whatever pot you’ve got. I usually throw in the giblets, skin and any other bits and pieces. Whatev.
2. Add aromatics.
1 large or 2 small onions (outer peel removed)
1-2 celery stalks or a celery heart, rinsed
1-2 carrots, rinsed
You do not need to peel or chop anything. Just throw it in there.
3. Fill with water.
The water line should just cover the bones and veggies.
4. Add 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
The acidity will help draw nutrients out of the bones.
5. Let it cook and walk away.
For a slow cooker: Low heat for 24 hours
For an Instant Pot: Soup setting, Low pressure, 120 minutes
And if you have neither, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on the stovetop for 24 hours.
6. Cool and strain.
Let it cool down a bit, then strain into glass jars. I use a fine mesh strainer and wide mouthed funnel, plus Ball jars or recycled quart-sized glass jars from pickles or tomato sauce.
I usually wait awhile to let the broth cool down even more, rather than putting 3 hot jars into my fridge.
Salt to taste as you use the broth.
That’s it! Now you can make soup, drink it straight, or use it instead of water in recipes. And if you’re thinking “Michelle, you’re crazy” then you can buy some high quality bone broth right here instead.
Happy Bone Broth-ing!