Apr 20, 2011

Posted in Digestion, Easy Recipes, Featured, fighting a cold, leaky gut, make-ahead recipes, save money, stress, Vitamins and Minerals | 85 Comments

Easy Recipe: Mineral-Rich Bone Broth

Bone Broth

Bone broth is a super-food for so many reasons. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. I join the ranks of Chris Kresser, the Weston A. Price Foundation’s Sally Fallon, Drs Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet (co-authors of “The Perfect Health Diet“), Dr. Cate Shanahan (author of “Deep Nutrition“), my very own nutrition instructors at Bauman College (who remind us nearly every class that broth is amazing) and (gasp!) even the ever-controversial Ray Peat to name a few in recommending it as a top-ranked food choice for all of my clients as well as to those who attend my seminars.

Many are concerned about how to get calcium into our diets if we’re avoiding dairy-based foods (other than whole raw milk or some fermented forms of dairy for those who can tolerate it). Well, besides eating leafy greens (chard, collards, kale and spinach to name a few!) which are rich in minerals including calcium, we can regularly sip on BROTH! Bone broth provides our bodies with bio-available (very easy to consume, digest and absorb) forms of calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and other trace minerals that are so lacking in our diets today due to depleted soils and high volumes of refined food consumption. (source: wapf.org) We can also use vegetable-only broths to obtain bio-available minerals, but without bones in the mix, we won’t get some of the other fantastic benefits from our broth that come from the gelatin and collagen we’re consuming.

Your grandmother was right, soup will heals what ails you, but we’re not talking about the stuff from a can or even the stock-in-a-box that TV chefs like Rachel Ray irritate me to no end pushing onto people. Soup or broth/stock in a can or box is NOT a whole, real, healthy food. Period. Read the ingredients and you’ll see what I mean. There are ALWAYS additives, fillers and “natural flavors” in those packages. Your homemade stock will include no such ingredients. So, besides the minerals in broth, what is it that’s helping us to heal and feel better? Gelatin!

Gelatin was found to be useful in the treatment of a long list of diseases including peptic ulcers, tuberculosis, diabetes, muscle diseases, infectious diseases, jaundice and cancer. Babies had fewer digestive problems when gelatin was added to their milk. The American researcher Francis Pottenger pointed out that as gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means that it attracts and holds liquids, it facilitates digestion by attracting digestive juices to food in the gut.
(source: wapf.org)

I talk about ways to heal a leaky gut all the time, and here’s a great, simple recipe to add to your arsenal to help do just that! But healing a cold, diseases and a leaky gut aren’t all broth can help to do! Dr. Cate Shanahan, author of “Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food,” explains in her interview with Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness that the collagen found in home made bone broth is a “super-food” when it comes to cellular integrity and in reducing the appearance of cellulite. Yes! There is a way to naturally, and legitimately, reduce cellulite and it’s as simple as incorporating bone broth into your regular diet. Dr. Shanahan says that “cellulite is fat that lacks collagen support” and that “people who have more collagen in their diet… are less likely to have cellulite in their fat.” It’s not about just losing the fat, it’s about getting back to a diet that will support the structure of your cells.

Now THAT is some DEEP NUTRITION! Cool, huh?! I think I’ll heat some up from my freezer right now!

Mineral-Rich Bone Broth (Beef & Garlic)

Yield: Approximately 14 servings.
Click here for estimated nutrition facts.

Ingredients

This recipe make approximately 64oz of broth depending on how much water, how much you reduce the broth and how strong you like the flavor to be.

4 quarts of filtered water
1.5- 2 lbs of beef knuckle bones (or any other kinds of bones/meaty bones/marrow bones – chicken necks are inexpensive and work great)
the cloves from 1 whole head of fresh garlic, peeled & smashed
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (organic, unfiltered- I like Bragg’s brand)
1Tsp unrefined sea salt - or more/less to taste (I like Real Salt)

Preparation

  • If you choose, you may brown or roast the bones/meaty bones first in a separate pan/pot if using a crockpot but this isn’t a necessary step. I don’t normally do it because it saves time/dishes not to and the purpose is just for more flavor which I don’t find necessary in this recipe. If you choose to, brown them in bacon fat or coconut oil before putting them into the water in the next step.
  • Place all ingredients in a 6 quart crockpot and set the heat to HIGH.
  • Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat setting to LOW.
  • Allow the stock to cook for a minimim of 8 hours and up to 24 hours. The longer it cooks the better!
  • Turn off the crockpot and allow the stock to cool.
  • Strain the stock through a fine mesh metal strainer and throw away what you skim off.
  • Place the cooled stock into glass jars for storage in the fridge (for up to a few days) or freezer for later use.

You can use stock to drink any time of day or before a meal or as the base for soups, stews and in any recipe that calls for it!

Variations

Use any other kind of animal bones you like, chicken especially will take less time due to smaller pieces.
Add chopped veggies like carrots, celery and onions for more flavor or variety.

A crockpot makes this recipe super-simple, but you can also use a large stock pot (hence the name) or an enameled cast-iron dutch oven type of pot.

Enjoy & be well!
Diane Sanfilippo
BS, Certified Nutrition Educator, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach
San Francisco Nutritionist & Paleo Nutritionist serving the Bay Area and beyond via phone & Skype consultations.

“Bacon is rad. Gluten is bad.” Sport it on a T-shirt.

About the author

Diane Sanfilippo BS, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach is a San Francisco-based Nutritionist & Paleo Nutritionist serving the Bay Area and beyond (US & international) via phone, Skype consultations and nutrition seminars. Author of “The Practical Paleo Nutrition Guide Book.” An 80-Page eBook guide to making a Paleo diet easy! Filled with tips, tricks, meal planning tools and recipes. Creator of The 21-Day Sugar Detox “The 21-Day Sugar Detox.” Bust sugar and carb cravings in 21 days with the help and support of a community who is all in it together!

85 Comments

  1. Caveman Home Companion says:
    April 20, 2011 at 9:50 pm

    I’ve always wondered how to make real bone broth. Happy I found you!

    reply
  2. ValerieH says:
    April 21, 2011 at 1:15 am

    This is exactly what I do. I used to add vegetables to the broth but now I just use bones. I usually cook it on low for at least 24 hours. I have found that the vegetables get bitter with such a long cook time but it takes that long to get the nutrition out of the bones. I check for doneness by trying to crush the chicken femur. After it is all cooled, I feed the bones to my dog.

    My meat stock is a mixture of beef and pork bones. I save bones in the freezer until I have enough for stock. When my kids order ribs at a restaurant, we take the bones home (even though it isn’t organic meat). I rinse off the remains of the sauce and stick them in the freezer. Chicken stock is wonderful with chicken feet.

    reply
    • KC says:
      May 15, 2011 at 12:38 am

      Oh dear… you should never give a dog cooked chicken bones as they may splinter during ingestion. Poultry bones should only be fed raw. I recall that beef and ham bones can be safely fed if cooked.

      reply
      • Jess says:
        May 22, 2011 at 9:07 pm

        This applies to cooked chicken bones – you don’t want to be feeding them the bones from your baked chicken. My experience is that chicken bones from properly made bone stock are quite soft, and not likely to splinter. If I can easily break them with my hands and don’t feel sharp edges upon doing so, I have no hesitation giving them to the dogs. I don’t give them any that are too hard to break by hand.

        reply
        • Diane says:
          May 22, 2011 at 9:26 pm

          Yeah, I think if they’re REALLY cooked they’re pretty disintegrated and won’t splinter anymore. I think you can judge by attempting to eat some yourself first ;) If my cat ever gets a hold of a cooked bone (by accident- thief!), he typically gnaws off the soft ends and the middle part that is harder/splintery is always left as a present for me somewhere.

          reply
          • Faye says:
            September 29, 2011 at 7:00 pm

            Could you use fish bones also…as well as beef or pork? Thanks, Faye

          • Diane Sanfilippo says:
            September 29, 2011 at 7:09 pm

            I am sure you can but I haven’t with this particular recipe.

          • KC says:
            October 4, 2011 at 6:32 pm

            Well I am happy to be proved wrong on the cooked chicken bone thing; thank you for the correction.

            Fish stock takes no time at all: try to add a wild fish head if possible and don’t simmer for more than 15 minutes or the stock will become bitter. A delicious addition is the clam juice from freshly steamed clams.

    • KateO says:
      October 6, 2011 at 2:16 pm

      If you’re worried about the vegetables getting bitter, you can always add them when you have 8 or 6 hours left (when you’re cooking it for 24 hours). This will give you the added benefits of the nutrition and flavor from the veggies without the bitterness.

      reply
  3. Bobby Khan says:
    April 21, 2011 at 1:30 am

    Very cool :)

    reply
  4. mary titus says:
    April 21, 2011 at 4:11 pm

    All I can say is yum. We need to cook with our health in mind. I love my crock pot and I look forwar to making this brothe. Thank you.

    reply
    • Diane says:
      May 22, 2011 at 9:25 pm

      :) I think cooking with health in mind but taste and pleasure along side it helps a lot, right? I enjoy the process almost as much as I enjoy eating the food and nourishing my body!

      reply
      • Faye says:
        September 29, 2011 at 7:02 pm

        Is the broth good to drink if one has fibromyalgia and arthitis? Thanks, Faye

        reply
        • Faye says:
          September 29, 2011 at 7:03 pm

          Will the broth help with the pain?

          reply
          • Diane Sanfilippo says:
            September 29, 2011 at 7:08 pm

            Yes, I haven’t learned of anyone yet for whom broth is not good and might very well help to alleviate some pain! For arthritis pain I’d recommend removing nightshades from your diet (as well as grains, legumes and dairy if you haven’t already). Eat well-cooked foods to see how that helps.

            Are you eating a paleo type of diet currently?

  5. Ruth Hobbs says:
    April 21, 2011 at 9:10 pm

    I made bone broth all my married life, and fed my children on the soups using it as stock, cooked my (brown) rice in it etc. The vinegar (doesn’t have to be apple cider) is essencial, as the minerals are extracted better in an acid medium. BUT Bone broth without vitamin D supplements will not help one as one needs vitamin D to absorb calcium proparly, and sunlight is an unreliable source of this as we WASH too frequently, D is made in the oils ON our skin, My children have no fillings in their teeth

    reply
    • Diane says:
      April 21, 2011 at 9:18 pm

      Thanks for the info, Ruth :) And yes, any vinegar will do- I just happen to like apple cider vinegar as a raw, unfiltered variety to select!

      reply
  6. Mike Paleovillage says:
    April 21, 2011 at 11:08 pm

    Hey Diane, I do soups instead. not just broth. Makes it great for lunch at work (heat in a small oven at the office)

    Great article! thanks!

    reply
    • Diane says:
      May 22, 2011 at 9:24 pm

      Awesome! Well, when you make a broth first, typically you are really “killing” the bones/veggies to get as much of the mineral content out of them as possible. On the other hand, when you make a soup, you want to start with a fantastic broth so that you don’t cook the other ingredients for quite as long but get a great nutritional punch from the stock + soup ingredients, ya know? Plus, the flavor will be VERY well developed much faster this way!

      reply
  7. Joanne says:
    April 22, 2011 at 8:24 am

    Once a week I roast a cage free chicken and then use the bones and some veggie stalks to create a broth. However, we never freeze it, we keep the crock pot running the entire week and just grab a cup of hot broth whenever we need a quick snack. The bones become so soft that we end up eating most of them. From a nutritional standpoint, is there anything wrong with doing it this way?

    reply
    • Diane says:
      May 22, 2011 at 9:22 pm

      I don’t think so as long as the liquid has a consistent small bubble running through it so that the liquid is hot enough not to develop pathogenic bacteria or something of the like.

      reply
  8. Aileen Ryan says:
    April 22, 2011 at 10:53 pm

    I was sorting out the half cow in the freezer the other day, and was wondering WHAT the heck I was going to do with all the bones! And then I saw this, how timely. I am defrosting beef bones tonight, gonna make this over the weekend :) Excited! Will let you know how it goes.

    reply
    • caitlin says:
      April 25, 2011 at 3:33 pm

      no need to defrost just throw them in your crock pot!

      reply
    • Aileen Ryan says:
      May 6, 2011 at 1:25 am

      Well. This was delicious. Made several jars, one in fridge, others in freezer.

      Had a fresh duck carcass, and some frozen chicken bones so I threw in some turkey necks to make “turducken” broth. Oh Lord. Amazing. Put that nectar in freezer bags, have 5 quarts YUM

      reply
  9. sarena says:
    May 9, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    I cooked it overnight, atleast 24 hrs. Mine was from veal bones. Just jarred it and am gonna go eat/drink some.

    reply
  10. Scott Matheson says:
    May 14, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    As a sippin’ beverage can you give me some specifics on suggested serving size? I’m guessing that if I grab my trusty super big gulp 64oz cup from another life and polish the pot off during the course of a day I might suffer some kind of backlash, like too much of a good thing.

    Thank You

    reply
    • Diane says:
      May 14, 2011 at 7:35 pm

      I wouldn’t say you can overdo the broth except if you’re chugging too much of it during/around meals and diluting your stomach acid. Otherwise, I think you’re good to go with a bunch of it each day. Try it for a week and see how you feel- I’d love to hear about a 64oz/day bone broth experiment!

      reply
  11. Liz says:
    May 15, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    I drink a cup of broth daily. From my own experience, it’s true what they say about cellulite :)

    Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride seems to be more pro on broths that have simmered just a few hours to preserve the gelatin. Simmering too long can break the gelatin down, from what I understand, and I know gut healing is a big part of her GAPS protocol – gelatin-rich broth is a key component of that. This info isn’t discussed explicitly on the WAP site but it seems to be true…

    Since the looooong simmer extracts more of the mineral content, I like to do one short-simmered pot, (just a few hours); as well as another pot that I allow to simmer much longer. Usually I’ll add the bones from the short simmer to the long simmer so as not to waste anything. I make all into ice cubes and warm up a few each morning for a hot cup of broth!

    I’m working on a few “Paleo Plus” articles for Steve’s Original, and broth is in the lineup. It’s truly a miracle food and I’m grateful for the Weston A. Price foundation for having introduced me to the world of traditional foods.

    reply
    • Roger Elliott says:
      December 22, 2011 at 3:36 pm

      I’ve read this idea about gelatin breaking down before. I make bone broth from beef knuckles and typically cook it for 72 hours. When it cools, it gels so hard my girls can use it as a bouncy trampoline for their dolls. I guess our Scottish cows are just made of tougher stuff.

      reply
      • Roxanne says:
        February 5, 2012 at 8:53 am

        I don’t think the gelatin thing is true either. I simmer all of my “dense bone” stocks (i.e beef, lamb, veal) for at least 24 hours, and they always set up nicely.

        reply
  12. Fergal Jennings says:
    May 16, 2011 at 8:54 am

    When you suggested this after my appendectomy I gave it a go. I was told I would be off my feet for 6-8 weeks.. At the 4 week mark the doctors couldnt belive how quick my wound was healing and how mobile I was. Plus is was amazing to eat!

    thank you!

    reply
  13. Harmony says:
    May 18, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    Can you buy just the bones you would use to make this, or would you have them as a byproduct of some other meat dish? I’ve never made beef broth before and would like to give it a try. I live in SF, so any resources for where to get the bones would be great.
    Thanks!

    reply
    • Diane says:
      May 18, 2011 at 6:42 pm

      You can just buy bones, yes. At the Farmer’s Market or at Whole Foods… or anywhere really. You can also save bones from food you already eat. Don’t overcomplicated it- cook some bones- simple as that ;)

      reply
  14. Helena says:
    May 24, 2011 at 1:29 am

    My bones have just been on the simmer for 24 hours & I had a taste and it doesn’t have very much flavour. The recipe I used didn’t have the garlic, just the bones, vinegar, salt & water.

    What am I doing wrong?

    reply
    • Diane says:
      May 24, 2011 at 1:46 am

      Garlic gives it a TON of flavor in my opinion. You may also need more salt. Make sure it’s an unrefined mineral salt like the kind I mentioned/linked to above.

      reply
  15. Malia says:
    May 24, 2011 at 9:13 am

    Thanks for the great recipe. I can’t wait to cook with this amazing simple and nutritious broth! Much appreciation

    reply
  16. Katherine says:
    May 24, 2011 at 7:09 pm

    Thanks for publishing these great bone broth recipes. I really need them, as I am recovering from Shigella infection (truly a bummer!). I refuse to BRAT, and am looking for paleo healing foods to get my lower GI tract back in order. Do you have any suggestions for me beyond the broth?

    reply
  17. Kyle says:
    May 31, 2011 at 11:16 am

    Have you ever used lamb bones? My grass fed supplier has lamb bones that sell as bones for your pet to chew on. Would these work?

    Thanks

    reply
  18. Izzy says:
    June 16, 2011 at 7:51 am

    My day isn’t complete unless I have bone broth. I think I’m addicted to it! My fave is the one made from pigs feet! Lots of gelatin in it and some marrow.

    reply
  19. Annette says:
    July 19, 2011 at 6:31 am

    I have been anxious to incorporate bone broth into my diet since reading this post. I finally acquired quality bones (grass-fed & finished) and made a batch last week according to your recipe. It was EASY and it’s delicious! I have been drinking a cup a day and seem to be experiencing what I can only describe as “detox”-like symptoms. Most noticeably a headache shortly after consuming it and a general lethargy – the urge to take a nap when that is not typical for me. I at first chalked it up to a tough workout at cross fit and the recent heat wave, but now seem to be able to correlate it directly to the broth. My diet is very clean – real, whole foods (I am on day 19 of a Whole 30) and the only vice I had left to eliminate for the challenge was sugar. That experience is going well – my sugar habit is mental more than physical. I love chocolate :-)

    My question is, do you think I am detoxing? Do I keep consuming the broth until the symptoms subside or spread it out so that I can be productive? I have tried googling it and found the most information at cheeseslave, but she experiences breakouts, I am not seeing that.

    I have read many times that broth is powerful for cellular (?) repair – and if it helped me slay the cellulite, well, that would be AWESOME… so I want to keep using it. Just don’t know what is smart??

    Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

    reply
    • Diane Sanfilippo says:
      July 19, 2011 at 6:34 am

      I think it sounds most like you’re detoxing from the sugar. It’s REALLY common to get headaches and be tired in that time and it can take a few days or a few weeks sometimes to get past. I haven’t ever heard of this reaction to broth, so I wouldn’t peg the broth for it. That said, if you experience this in 3 months while drinking broth, you could be reacting to something in it. My bet is that it’s a sugar detox symptom. I run a 21 day sugar detox and it sounds like that’s what’s happening. http://www.facebook.com/21daysugardetox

      reply
      • Annette says:
        July 19, 2011 at 7:13 am

        Thanks for your quick reply. I will keep drinking the broth (it’s so good!)

        I am going to look into your sugar detox materials … i’m having a hard time figuring out what to make of this whole 30 challenge – I am not really leaning out the way I had hoped – maybe I am expecting too much too soon? I also thought I would experience the detox symptoms earlier – not so, huh? The first couple of weeks were actually pretty easy.

        I am eating more fruit than I was before b/c it’s LEGAL and so good right now! (Before the challenge, I would indulge in a square of 90% dark chocolate daily and berries occassionally. It was eye-opening to find sugar in lots of my Penzey spice mixes and vanilla! I was getting more than I realized).

        I’m feeling like I actually don’t digest fruit all that well and I’m craving SALT more than ever, too (which has me snitching dry roasted sea salted nuts here & there). I’m pointing at those two for the lack of leaning out. I thought the bone broth would be satiating and healing … and was surprised by the headaches and cruddy feeling that showed up this week.

        Anyway, I think your sugar detox group might be just he kind of support I need … I think figuring out this piece of the puzzle will take me longer than these 30 days. It’s hard for me to be patient and keep the changing variables to a minimum so I can figure it out!!

        p.s. I love your site and now have the MovNat experience bookmarked. I think it would make an excellent adventure trip for me & my 14 year old son. I feel like I need to get stronger first (more crossfit!)

        reply
        • Diane Sanfilippo says:
          July 19, 2011 at 7:19 am

          Sounds good. Too much fruit and too many nuts can easily keep one from leaning out. As can too much stress (what’s life like?). The sugar detox will build on what you’ve already changed I am guessing, but you can’t lean on fruit during it much at all. I also have list supplements that may help in the extra guide book. Hopefully you’re drinking lots of water and sleeping well- those are foundational for any program.

          Re: broth- did you make mine with the garlic? Could you possibly be sensitive to garlic in that quantity?

          MovNat was great- going with your son would be amazing!!!

          reply
  20. paleo says:
    August 7, 2011 at 6:19 pm

    Hello There. I found your weblog using msn. This is a very neatly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to learn extra of your helpful info. Thank you for the post. I?ll definitely return.

    reply
  21. Candice says:
    August 9, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    Have made bone broth/soup a few times. Add a bottle of pureed tomato near the end of cooking and it’s yummy. I find my weight goes up when eating this but it seems to be related to water retention. Was wondering if anyone else has noticed this. Thought it might be the increased minerals/salt in my body requiring greater water to offset.

    reply
  22. Carolyn says:
    August 19, 2011 at 7:14 am

    Thank you for such a simple, easy recipe! I have one question: is it necessary to skim off stuff from the top and also to strain the broth at the end? I would think everything in the broth would be nutritious, no?

    reply
    • Diane Sanfilippo says:
      August 19, 2011 at 7:22 am

      Straining it is mostly for palatability, but skimming the fat- I think I got that from Nourishing Traditions. Perhaps after cooking for that long, the fat at the top is not quite as healthy to eat. I don’t know for sure that I’d fret much over it, but I do personally take it off. It usually forms into a hard layer at the top of each jar that I have, so I break it off and toss it. The real benefit of the broth is the collagen and glycine that is formed in the gelatin below the fat. I think we can get better, less-cooked fat elsewhere.

      reply
  23. Clancy Harrison says:
    September 24, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    Thank you for the recipe! I am making my first batch today!

    reply
  24. dave says:
    September 26, 2011 at 8:55 am

    Can beef bones be re-used? I thought I saw a blurb online about someone just throwing them back in the freezer. I suppose if there is still cartilage and the bones aren’t rubbery yet there is still some stuff there.

    Will a roaster work? I’ve seen mention of these but, never any real instruction. Would it or a crock-pot for that matter be energy efficient, it would seem to be time efficient b/c you don’t have to watch it like a pot on stove top. At 16-32quarts for a roaster it could save a bunch of time.

    How do you separate the fat? I refrigerated mine to cool and I forgot about it so when I came back I found a disk’o'fat(tallow?). I just pry-ed it off and washed it off and put it in the freezer. I’ve been adding it back when I make soup for my daughter for whatever fat soluble vitamins are in there and extra calories. This rendered fat is okay right? since it is essentially tallow it can also be used for cooking right?

    Has there been anyone to/Is there any who would have access to test the truth in the vinegar= more minerals hypothesis? I saw a Mr. Wizard where they did vinegar+chicken bone+time= rubbery bone due to removal of calcium. So, I’d say plausible but, 2Tbs-1/2cup in a couple gallons of water?

    reply
  25. Faye says:
    September 29, 2011 at 7:34 pm

    Thank you for letting us know about the broth..I am going to the store tomorrow and get the bones and start drinking it very soon..I do hope it will help me get some weight off and renew my cells since I am just getting over breast cancer….I make vegetable broth often and drink it. When I make collard greens or kale, etc. I just ad more water and drink the broth.. I only use a small amount of water but none goes to waste…I am really looking forward to drinking the bone broth…..Thanks for all your help. Faye

    reply
  26. Stephanie @ Aspiring says:
    October 16, 2011 at 12:35 pm

    I am a girl getting more and more interested in Paleo lifestyle (especially after reading the wonderful book “Deep Nutrition”!) and thank you for this post!!!

    reply
  27. KL says:
    October 19, 2011 at 8:05 am

    What do you do with the bones after you have created the Bone Broth? I was thinking I can give the Beef Bones to my dog?

    reply
    • Diane Sanfilippo says:
      October 19, 2011 at 8:14 am

      I don’t know if cooked bones are ideal for a dog as they can splinter (vs raw bones) but you may want to research that some more first. I usually just toss them after that but if you had a compost heap you might be able to put them in there- not sure about it. Maybe others have ideas?

      reply
    • Blanca says:
      November 17, 2011 at 12:42 pm

      I’ve been making my stock like this in my crock pot for a few months now but never actually had a recipe so thanks for posting this. I’m definitely going to add the vinegar. One question though, your recipe, and others, say to use filtered water…as opposed to just tap? I’m curious as to why? I’ve been using tap water. Also random fact, but I’ve noticed since starting my Whole 30 I crave lots of tap water!! I always drank filtered before ;/

      reply
    • Franziska says:
      November 26, 2011 at 8:25 pm

      Thanks so much for the recipe, Diane! I made it today using all the turkey bones from our Thanksgiving dinner. Easy, delicious, and nourishing — what could be better? :)

      reply
  28. Broth says:
    December 6, 2011 at 12:24 pm

    Do you know how many grams of protein are in each cup? I’m working on my macronutrient ratios and I’ve found conflicting info. Thanks!

    reply
  29. Amanda says:
    December 31, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    I have attempted to make this with chicken bones and haven’t enjoyed the flavor much alone (which is what I want to end up doing). I’m not sure if I’m not digging the apple cider vinegar or what. Should i give it a whirl with beef bones before trying another type of vinegar? If its the apple cider vinegar I dislike, which one would you suggest using?

    Thanks so much!

    reply
    • Diane Sanfilippo says:
      December 31, 2011 at 4:46 pm

      I’m not a big chicken broth fan except in recipes. Try this recipe as-is with beef bones and garlic. Then you’ll know if it’s the chicken or the vinegar :)

      reply
      • Loretta says:
        January 2, 2012 at 6:03 pm

        I have Osteoporsis is the bone broth good to strengthen our bones?

        reply
        • Diane Sanfilippo says:
          January 2, 2012 at 6:34 pm

          Not good… GREAT! :)

          reply
          • Loretta says:
            January 2, 2012 at 6:48 pm

            Thanks!! Anything else I should incorporate into my diet ? I want to do only natural things and stay away from the prescription medications.

            Thanks!!!!

          • Diane Sanfilippo says:
            January 2, 2012 at 6:57 pm

            I’d recommend you be sure to get sunlight on your skin whenever possible (vitamin D), and eat foods rich in good fats to help fat soluble vitamin (FSV) absorption. FSVs along with a good mineral balance will help to maintain and/or improve bone density. I might also recommend good amounts of leafy greens and other foods rich in protein AND calcium as you can’t absorb calcium or use it for enhancing bone density without cofactors like FSVs, protein and fats.

            I would listen to The Paleo Solution podcast episode featuring Loren Cordain recently (free in iTunes or on http://www.robbwolf.com) and also read my post on non-dairy sources of calcium.

            If you tolerate dairy and can access quality raw (unpasteurized milk), then I’d consider drinking some of that as well. Pasteurized milk will not benefit you (or anyone for that matter).

          • Loretta says:
            January 2, 2012 at 7:12 pm

            Thank you so much Diane!!!!!

  30. Devyn says:
    January 5, 2012 at 10:39 pm

    Made this the other day with beef bones, it is delicious!

    reply
  31. Christine says:
    January 6, 2012 at 1:26 pm

    Diane,

    You mentioned eating the marrow out of the bones. Will the marrow “melt” into the broth? Or can you scoop it out and mix it in? I think I’ve seen a video using marrow bones over and over again for several batches. I’m super stoked to make this with my grass-fed marrow bones. I just want to get the most bang for my bones :-) .

    Thanks for all you do!

    reply
  32. Amanda says:
    January 14, 2012 at 11:13 am

    I made this the day before yesterday into last night…this morning I skimmed off the fat and found brown “jello” underneath. I scooped some into a mug and heated it.
    Unfortunately, I did not like the taste AT ALL. I know it has many health benefits and I do not want to waste it, but I don’t think I can manage drinking it.
    Please help me find some ways to use it where I won’t feel like I’m going vomit after one sip!

    reply
    • Roxanne says:
      February 5, 2012 at 9:07 am

      Make soup out of it. Stocks/broths are the base for most soups. Beef and vegetable soup or French onion come to mine. Why do you not like the taste?

      reply
  33. Mike Ellwood says:
    January 14, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    I’ve found neck of lamb (chopped up by the butcher) and also oxtail (ditto) very good for broth. With those, the meat is fairly hard to get off by any other cooking method, so I put them raw into salted water, bring to boil, then simmer until the meat is falling from the bone (usually 2-3 hours), which I take out for consumption, then carry on simmering the bones for the broth.

    What is the reason for skimming or straining the broth? Isn’t all the stuff one gets out of a bone nutritious?

    Is it essential to use vinegar to make the liquid acid? Could one use the juice of a squeezed lemon, for example?
    (My wife hates the smell of vinegar, and I’ve not found the taste of broth made with vinegar very appetising, although it’s fine without).

    By the way, another fan of gelatin and bone broth is Ray Peat (RayPeat dot com)

    reply
    • Roxanne says:
      February 5, 2012 at 9:15 am

      You skim the scum and foam off the top during the first 3-4 hours because those are impurities, and some of that scummy stuff can be mildly toxic if left in the broth. If you don’t skim, the simmering action will emulsify it back into the broth, making it impossible to strain out and turning the broth cloudy (and nobody wants to sip on cloudy broth). You strain the stock through a sieve at the end to remove the small particles of bone, vegetables, and meat from the broth. The vegetables are spent and will be bitter and mushy, and you don’t typically leave bones and meat in stock if you’re using it for other cooking applications.

      You can use lemon for the acid. I use lemon for chicken broths and left over red wine for all of my red meat broths.

      reply
  34. Amy says:
    January 15, 2012 at 11:02 am

    I was making sure before I start my broth, that I don’t have to cook/roast them first? Just through them in raw and let them cook in the crock pot?
    Thanks,
    Amy

    reply
  35. Talar says:
    January 21, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    I started making bone broth for a while and then stopped….I was using non-grassfed beef bones/marrow, and figured, this can’t be good for me, can it? So, my question is … if you can’t get your hands on grassfed beef bones, are regular bones beneficial? Is it worth using regular bones for this? Thanks :)

    reply
    • Diane Sanfilippo says:
      January 21, 2012 at 4:09 pm

      I think it’s still worth it- you’re using them for mineral content and I don’t know that too much of what’s bad about grain-fed beef is affecting their bones (though clearly it is somewhat)… I wouldn’t let it be a limiting factor. I have used non-grassfed bones for broth when I had to, it’s not the biggest deal ;)

      reply
    • Broth says:
      January 25, 2012 at 1:00 pm

      Still waiting for an answer on protein content. Can you tell me approximately how many grams of protein are in a cup of broth? I know it will vary with each batch (depending on type of bones used, length of simmering, etc). But an approximate idea would be appreciated.

      reply
  36. Kristin says:
    February 4, 2012 at 6:57 pm

    Hi Diane! If I use bones that are frozen, is it OK to re-freeze the stock after it has been made with the previously frozen bones? I know you aren’t supposed to re-freeze meat that has previously been frozen once it is cooked, so I wasn’t sure if this applied to stock that was made with previously frozen bones as well. Thanks!

    reply
    • Roxanne says:
      February 5, 2012 at 9:32 am

      This is fine. I do this all the time. I’m a professional cook, and I don’t know of anyone in my profession who doesn’t do this. When you work in a kitchen that uses gallons and gallons of stock each week, the only option to get enough bones for that much stock is to buy them frozen.

      One note on flavor enhancers: I add fresh herbs and peppercorns to my stock to build flavor. I’ll usually add what’s called a bouquet garni, which is 2 bay leaves, a sprig of rosemary, a couple of sprigs of thyme, and 3-5 parsley stems–all tied up in butchers twine or put in a washable herb sack. You add this to the stock for the last 4-6 hours of cooking. I also add about 10 whole peppercorns at the beginning of cooking.

      A really great add in for beef and veal stocks is tomato paste. I slather it on the bones the last 20 minutes of roasting them (or you can brown the paste in the pan you’ve browned the bones in if you browned them on the stove.

      I also deglaze the pan that I’ve browned the bones in with red wine (which is usually my acid). Water is acceptable as well. You add all that deglazed goodness to the stock pot.

      Classical aromatics for one gallon of stock include: 2 onions, 2 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, 4 cloves of garlic. You can also add the green tops of leeks (one of my favorites) and browned mushrooms.

      All these additions for flavor building is how you make classical French stock. :)

      reply
      • Kristin says:
        February 5, 2012 at 10:50 am

        Thanks Roxanne! I figured it was fine but I’m OCD about possible contamination issues when I cook! Good to know people do this w/o any problems. Also thanks for the notes on the flavor enhancers :)

        reply
  37. Cat says:
    February 5, 2012 at 9:01 pm

    Hi I plan on making home made stock nice and strong, if I added a gelatin SACHET and then poured into cubes til set, does anyone know what the shelf life would be if kept in the fridge? I want to use them as a home made dog treat. (I say gelatin sachet will be used as the fat left on stock itself may keep it longer, but all fat must be cut off before simmering and then stock constantly skimmed as the fat is not good for dogs, But unflavoured gelatin is as it is mostly pure protein. Any idea’s anyone, on wheter this would be a recipe that could keep a couple weeks?

    reply
  38. Rachael says:
    February 20, 2012 at 7:48 pm

    How many days does the broth keep in the fridge?

    reply

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