MAKING A GOOD BONE BROTH

When collecting bones, go for variety. This is because the marrow found in bones is either yellow marrow or red marrow. Yellow marrow is found in the central portion of long bones. It is where fats are stored. Red marrow, on the other hand, is found in flat bones. These are:

• Hip bone
• Sternum
• Skull
• Ribs
• Vertebrae
• Scapula
• The ends of long bones

Red marrow is so valuable because it is where blood stem cells are found. When you drink a broth made with a good source of red marrow, you are drinking all those stem cell factors that ultimately build your body’s strength and support your own immune function. Not sure what kind of bone to use? Any kind will do. You can even use an assortment of different animals. Just make sure that all bones are sourced from animals that are organic and grass-fed or pastured and free-range. Remember, everything that the animal ate, how it lived, and where it lived all factor into the health benefits of your broth.  You can purchase bones ready to cook, or you can collect bones from meals and store them in your freezer until you have enough to build a good stock. Remember to only use bones and feet from animals that are grass-fed or free-range. Make sure the bones, especially large bones, are cut into small pieces. This reduces cooking time and allows more material to become a part of the broth.

Cooking Suggestions

1. Place bones into a large stock pot and cover with water. 2. Add two tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or wine to water prior to cooking. This helps to pull out important nutrients from the bones. 3. Fill stock pot with filtered water.  Leave plenty of room for water to boil. 4. Heat slowly. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for at least 6 hours. Remove scum as it arises. 5. Cook long and slow. Chicken bones can cook for 6-48 hours. Beef bones can cook for 12-72 hours. A long and slow cook time is necessary in order to fully extract the nutrients in and around bone. After cooking, the broth will cool and a layer of fat will harden on top. This layer protects the broth beneath. Discard this layer only when you are about to eat the broth.