Bone broth is an easy-to-digest source of restorative nutrients helpful for maintaining gut health and supporting your immune system.

Bone broth is something that has become incredibly popular over the last couple of years with the increased awareness of gut health.

What is bone broth?

Bone broth is similar to a stock that is made from cooking bones, ligaments, cartilage, marrow or organs along with vegetables and herbs for an extended period of time.

Simmering the bones and other ingredients helps to break down the components and release a wide range of compounds that offer healing benefits.

The benefits of bone broth

There are many health benefits of consuming bone broth including:

Improving the intestinal lining integrity by repairing any damage
Reducing inflammation in the gut
Improving digestion and supporting the immune system
Enhancing skin health due to the collagen content
Helping to regenerate and repair damaged tissues thanks to the glutathione
Supporting mental health due to an increase in amino acids

Needless to say, there are potentially many benefits from including a nourishing bone broth in your diet. Thankfully, to make a bone broth is relatively easy requiring basic ingredients and a bit of time.

A warning for those histamine intolerant

If you or your child is histamine intolerant or has some unresolved allergenic symptoms, you need to be careful with bone broth. This is because bone broth is naturally high in histamine and can exacerbate your symptoms.

If you are unsure whether to include it in your family’s diet, please consult your health practitioner.

Making bone broth

To make bone broth, I typically use chicken bones because I’m often cooking a whole roast chicken and have the bones spare. But you can use beef or lamb bones if you prefer.

In a large pot, place a chicken carcass, chicken necks or feet, carrots, celery sticks, onion, garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaves, apple cider vinegar and peppercorns. Pour in enough cold water to cover the carcass and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 12-20 hours. The longer you leave the broth, the more the compounds will breakdown and nutrients will be released. If any scum develops on the surface, skim off with a ladle and discard.

Once you’ve finished cooking the broth, strain to separate the bones and veggie ingredients from the liquid.

Let the broth cool completely before storing in glass jars or pouring into ice cube trays to freeze. The broth can be kept in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for 3 months.

Dividing the broth into ice cubes can be helpful before freezing so you can add to soup, sauces and casseroles. Some even pop it into smoothies or make gelatine gummies with the bone broth.

If you try making your own Nourishing Bone Broth please let me know!

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HAPPY COOKING!

Nourishing Bone Broth

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: up to 20 hours

Ingredients:

1 organic chicken carcass*

500g chicken necks or feet

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

1 onion, quartered

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

4 springs of thyme

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp peppercorns

Cold water

Instructions:

In a large stock pot, place the chicken carcass and the rest of the ingredients.

Fill with water until the carcass is covered and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and reduce to a low heat.

Gently simmer for 12-20 hours (the longer you leave it, the more nourishing your broth will be). Skim off any scum that develops on the surface and discard.

Strain to separate the bones from the liquid.

Allow to cool completely before storing in glass jars or pouring into ice cube trays. If not using over the few couple of days, freeze.

Bone borth can be kept in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for 3 months.

Note:

Organic chicken carcass can be purchased from the butcher or use the bones from a leftover roast.

Freeze in individual 1-2 cup portions so you can use to add to soups, sauces and casseroles.

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