For everyone that’s been near a restaurant kitchen, it’s no news that nothing goes to waste. Most vegetable scrapes are used for broths, and it’s no different with meat. Bones, hooves, heads, and other items that are not used in dishes, are put to the side, and later used for broth. This broth, no matter how disgusting at first glance, is highly nutritious, and when prepared by a skilled chef, or by following the right recipe, can be the tastiest and healthiest thing in the world.
Bone broth offers many benefits, and some of them are:
- It makes your bones stronger
Calcium is not the only thing affecting our bone health and structure. However, collagen is just as, or even more, important. And could you think of a better way to get what your bones need than boiling other creature’s bones, and drinking them?
- Increases fertility
Bone cells produce a hormone called osteocalcin. This hormone affects the endocrine system, and helps with the production of testosterone.
- Improves immunity
In some countries, especially those with harsh winters, bone broth is traditionally served to children. It boosts their immune system, and helps getting them through the winter without catching a cold. Adding ginger to the broth makes it even more potent.
- Keeps joints healthy
Those suffering from osteoarthritis have noticed significant improvement with regular consumption of bone broth. However, in most cases, this won’t be enough; you will also have to toss out alcohol and coffee.
- Helps with digestion
The process of making bone broth is long, and the long cooking makes the broth easy to digest. And not only that, but it makes the things you ate previously digest faster and more effectively.
- Repairs and regenerates tissue
Collagen is an essential, structural protein, and it accounts for 25-30% of all the protein in our body. Damaged cells, and tissue, require constant repair, and the amount of collagen needed for this job is easily reached with regular consumption of bone broth.
Making bone broth
If you have left over bones, especially big ones, with larger amount of marrow in them, you are probably set to go. If not, visit your local butcher and ask him for some bones, they’ll give them for free in most cases. The recipe is fairly simple, but for optimal taste it needs to be followed to the letter.
You will need:
- 2lb ox/cow bones
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1 celery stalk
- Parsley (1 bunch)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
Preparation method:
Roast the bones in the oven on a large tray, for half an hour. When roasted, sprinkle them with vinegar, and let them rest for half an hour. Get a crock pot, and place your bones in it, together with chopped vegetables. Pour 1 gallon of water and turn the stove on high. Once it boils, reduce the heat to simmer. Skim any fat that appears, and cook for as long as you can; the optimal time is 2 days, but anything less than 12 hours is not enough. Add water as necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste, strain the broth, and store in glass jars. It will most likely turn to gel, so when you need to use the broth, just reheat it. Don’t skim off anything that occurs on top of the congealed .
Source: http://www.naturallivingideas.com/bone-broth-benefits/