Bone Broth: What You Need To Know
You have probably heard about stocks, broths and
gravies. So, what is special about them? A lot can be said to answer this
question but the most obvious is their nutritional value. They contain
minerals, vitamins and proteins which are essential for a healthy body. And so
is the bone broth. Not to be confused with the bone stock, bone broth is a
slow-cooked, delicious and nutrients-filled liquid that is gotten from bones
and connective tissue (ligaments, cartilage and tendons) of animals. Well,
other parts such as hooves, knuckles, gizzards and beaks can and have also been
used. All manner of animals can be used to make bone broth such as beef, lamb,
venison, pork, fish, chicken, turkey etc. However, chicken and beef are
popular. Always choose bones from grass-fed cattle and free range chicken.
What does it take to make bone broth?
Patience, patience and more patience. Really, no
kidding. It takes over 20 hours to make a proper bone broth, therefore, if
patience isn’t your virtue, you are better off buying ready-made bone broth.
Essentially, it doesn’t take many ingredients to make a basic bone broth. All
you need is water, bones, apple cider vinegar and a stove. However, why make
basic broth while you can enhance it to make it pop with tantalizing flavors
and have additional nutrients? Vegetables such as carrots and celery; herbs
such as parsley and thyme; onions, garlic, pepper, salt and other seasonings
are some of the things you can use to make a thicker and more flavorful broth.
First, roast the bones (ofcourse have some meat
adhering to the bones) to improve the flavor of the bone broth. Prepare all
other ingredients such as the onions by washing and roughly chopping them. Add
all of the ingredients into a stockpot and let them boil. Then lower the heat
so that they simmer for a full 24 hours. The purpose of simmering for such a
long period is to ensure trace element minerals and gelatin are all release
from the collagen-rich joints. The apple cider vinegar helps the process of
pulling the all-important nutrients off the bones into the water, in case you
were wondering why it is necessary to incorporate it among the ingredients. At
the end of the cooking, let it cool off a bit and strain it into a container.
You will notice the bones have been “crushed” and easily crumble under little
pressure. Now you can be happy you will partake of all the nutrients that were
hidden in the bones.
Is bone broth a superfood?
With all the nutrients you are likely to gain from
taking a bowl of bone broth, yes it is a superfood. For example, if you are
looking to lose weight without compromising the intake of important nutrients,
bone broth has got you covered. It is a low-calorie, has high level of
proteins, type II collagen, gelatin, minerals such as calcium. In short bone
broth is liquid gold.
All these perks, make bone broth very desirable
for healthy eating.
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