It’s September and everyone is excited that school is back in full swing- ESPECIALLY the germs!! Both of my kiddos have that incessant, back-to-school sniffly, runny nose. It happens every year; it seems unavoidable! We eat lots of immune boosting herbs, spices, fresh fruits and veggies daily in our house. But when the germs get real, we need bone broth!
More than just immune boosting
I keep jars of broth in my freezer at all times. While a bowl of warm, brothy soup just sounds good when you’re sick, bone broth is beneficial any time of year. Slowly simmering the bones releases an incredible variety of health boosting nutrients that are easy for the body to absorb.
The bones themselves contain bone-strengthening minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.
The connective tissue releases natural glucosamine and chondroitin which are both essential for joint health.
The marrow provides vitamins A, B2, B12, E, and essential amino acids that can help fight inflammation.
The broth is a rich source of collagen, a compound that forms proteins and helps to maintain healthy skin.
Visit our friends at Healthline for more information and a quick Bone Broth 101.
How should I use bone broth?
Sipping on bone broth seems to have gained popularity in recent years. In all honesty, we do not sit around with a mug of plain broth very often (though when the sniffles are bad, the kids will actually ask for a small cup). I do, however, use it in soup and for cooking all the time. The richness and nutrients that bone broth *discretely* adds to dishes is unbeatable! Immune Boosting Bone broth is great for:
Any soup (obviously!)
A nutritious substitute for water in any saucy recipe that calls for water. Think:
Curry
Ground taco meat
Crockpot creations
Add to veggies in a sauté pan with salt and pepper, cover and let the veggies ‘steam’. The flavor is awesome! Try our recipe for The Best Sauteed Green Beans using bone broth.
A substitute for any recipe that uses white wine.
If there is a recipe that calls for a lot of cream (or in our case, coconut milk) or butter, I will use a fraction of the cream/butter and compensate with bone broth. When you simmer and reduce the broth, it creates that thicker, rich flavor you are looking for.
How to make Immune Boosting Bone Broth
Making homemade bone broth truly couldn’t be easier. And while I will provide a ‘recipe’ below, there is no set rule to how you make your broth. The ingredients are simple:
Cooked bones from chicken, beef, even fish or shrimp. I usually only ever make broth from chicken bones because we eat whole roasted chicken often.
Vinegar- just a teaspoon will do to help the bones release their minerally goodness.
Water
Step 1:
Rinse the cooked bones under running water. Then place them and any desired veggies in a LARGE pot.
Step 2:
Fill the pot almost to the top with water and 1 Tbsp of white or apple cider vinegar. Heat until the water is just bubbling. Cover and allow the broth to bubble slowly for 8-24 hours; the longer the better. I often let mine bubble overnight!
Step 3:
Once it is simmered to your satisfaction, taste the broth. If it is still a little watery, raise the heat and reduce the broth for 10-15 minutes. This will thicken the broth and create a more intense flavor. I usually leave mine on the milder side since I use it more for the nutrient boost vs the “chicken soup” flavor.
Step 4:
Use immediately or refrigerate for 2-3 days. Place any unused broth into glass containers and freeze. I like to keep mine in several smaller containers for quicker defrosting.
A Freezer Staple
I keep jars of broth in my freezer at all times.
I also keep bones from rotisserie chickens that we’ve eaten in my freezer to cook into broth later.
Immune Boosting Bone Broth is one of those things that really is just so much better homemade. There are no boxed products that compare! If you are following the SCD diet as we do, having this homemade staple in the freezer makes so many dishes that much easier and more delicious. For other SCD freezer staples and ideas, check out this ARTICLE.
Sipping on nutrient rich, immune boosting bone broth is great when you’re feeling sniffly. I always keep homemade broth in the freezer to add flavor and nutrients to soups, sauces, curries, sauteing veggies and more!
Ingredients
Scale
1 1/2 – 2 lbs bones (chicken or turkey carcass bones, meaty bones, marrow bones, beef bones, or any bones you may have)
Bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce heat to a very low setting so that the broth is just bubbling slightly.
Allow broth to bubble for 8-24 hours.
Taste and add more salt if desired.
Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard all of the bones and vegetables.
Store broth in glass containers in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Notes
Taste the broth occasionally to see when the flavor reaches your desired taste. I usually remove the lid, raise the heat and boil the broth for 15 minutes at the end. It reduces the broth and intensifies the flavor a bit.
