bone Archives | Community Food Co-op

Make Easy Slow-Cooker Bone Broth at Home

by Selva Wohlgemuth, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

hands chopping ingredients to make a bone broth including carrots, garlic and meat bones and herbs

Selva's recipe for bone broth is rich in collagen and provides an easy-to-absorb protein source.

Makes approximately 4 quarts

INGREDIENTS

2–3 pounds grass-fed beef bones (or pastured chicken carcass)
1 large yellow onion, cut in half (skin on)
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
2 carrots, cut into quarters
1/2 small celeriac root, cut in half
1/3 bunch parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
10–15 whole peppercorns
1 juniper berry (optional)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

FIND SOUP BONES AT THE CO-OP

Find grass-fed beef marrow bones, labeled as soup or doggie bones, or 2.5-pound bags of chicken bones from local vendor Osprey Hill Farm in the meat freezer. We also sell chicken necks, wings, drumsticks, and whole chickens (just roast and strip the meat off the carcass).

METHOD

Preheat oven to 425 F. Place bones on a baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes or until browned.
Meanwhile, sear the onion face down on a skillet until browned. Then pierce bay leaf to onion half with the cloves.
Add roasted beef bones and juices to the slow cooker. Add all veggies, remaining spices, and vinegar to bones. Fill with enough cold fresh water to cover bones/veggies. Program slow cooker to cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Fill with more water to cover bones and continue to cook on low for longer than 10 hours if a stronger more medicinal bone broth is desired (at least 24 hours is recommended).
When broth is ready, remove large veggie chunks and bones. Pour remaining liquid into large glass jars and cool to keep it from souring. Once cooled, you may remove as much of the fat layer as desired. The remaining broth can be thinned with water if necessary. This broth keeps for 1 week in the refrigerator or you can freeze in ice cube trays for later use. Season with sea salt and fresh herbs (minced rosemary, thyme, and oregano) if used as a hot beverage.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD

After cooking for 24 hours and then removing the veggies, you can continue to keep broth and bones in the slow cooker, replenishing with enough fresh water to keep bones covered. Reheat in slow cooker on low heat for 4 to 5 hours each time fresh water is added. Allow to cool and refrigerate unused portion. Process may be repeated for about 7 days, then discard.

LEARN TO MAKE NOURISHING BROTHS

Attend Selva’s Healthy Connections class on March 9, 2020, to learn how to make your own nourishing broths at home. See more Healthy Connections classes on our website.

Learn more about the health benefits of bone broth in Selva's Ask the Nutritionist column.

Dear Nutritionist: Bone Broth

by Selva Wohlgemuth, Co-op News contributor

Selva Wohlgemuth, meal planning instructor

Selva Wohlgemuth, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

Dear Nutritionist: I have heard a lot about bone broth. Is it really that much better than regular soup stock?

Dear Member: Although there is little scientific evidence to support the health benefits of bone broth, it does not discredit hundreds of years of tradition.

What bone broth provides in nutritional quality far outweighs any regular packaged chicken or beef broth found in stores today. It is rich in collagen and an easy-to-absorb protein source that, along with adequate vitamin C, supports joint health and skin, hair, and nail growth. Also, the minerals and vitamins leached from the bones and veggies into the broth makes this an easy to digest and nourishing food, especially during times of heightened stress.

Per the USDA Nutrient Database, one cup of homemade chicken bone broth contains about 90 calories, 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbohydrates, and some minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and sodium.

If someone cannot tolerate solid foods or is feeling under the weather, nauseous, and fatigued, broth can be very soothing and light enough for the digestive track to manage. However, even if you are not feeling sick, bone broth adds a lot of flavor and nutrition to simple soups and stews.

To make a delicious bone broth, all you need is time—not only for flavor, but also for heightening the medicinal quality of the broth. The longer the bones simmer, the more minerals are transferred to the broth, and the more nutrient dense the broth becomes. If you add a few staple vegetables, the nutritional value increases even further. Even a novice cook can make an excellent broth if the traditional methods are followed.

How to use bone broth? Sip between meals for a savory protein-rich beverage, add into soups for heightened flavor and nutrition, mix into sauces or gravies, braise veggies or meats in broth, or freeze for later use.

Are you vegan or vegetarian? Making a slow simmered veggie broth can be just as nourishing. However, you may want to add additional veggies such as leeks, tomatoes, and mushrooms for added flavor, and olive oil to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins. Just keep in mind that the protein content will be much lower and you may want to add beans to your final veggie soup.

SAVVY SHOPPER TIP

If making bone broth at home seems like too much work, the Co-op offers a variety of packaged collagen-rich bone broths from Kettle & Fire, Pacific Foods, Epic, and frozen chicken and beef broth by Bonafide Provisions and Cauldron Broths.

Learn to Make Nourishing Broths

Attend Selva’s Healthy Connections class on March 9, 2020, to learn how to make your own nourishing broths at home.

See more Healthy Connections classes on our website.

Ask the Nutritionist

Have questions? Send them to contact@happybellynutritionist.com. Selva Wohlgemuth is a registered dietitian nutritionist. Learn more about her approach to general health and well-being at her Happy Belly Nutrition website, and see her recipes and other kitchen tips at Poppies and Papayas.