Bone broth, beef broth, chicken broth, stock, or just plane broth. Whatever you want to call it, it’s really all the same! When you don’t know what bone broth actually is, it can sound pretty gross, huh? In reality bone broth really is just broth – only making it at home makes sure that it’s full of amazing health benefits. The flavor and nutrition you get from homemade broth doesn’t compare to the kind you buy in a box from the store. Bone broth, without a doubt, has been the biggest support in my entire healing journey. The gelatin in bone broth helps to seal a leaky gut, and the nutrients are incredibly easy to absorb. Bone broth can also be wonderful for clearing brain fog, which I know many of us have dealt with. When I’m not feeling my very best, I aim for at least 2-3 cups a day of this liquid gold.
It may not sound very appealing to have a warm cup of anything during the hot summer months, but the benefits are more than worth it! If you’re just getting started, try having a cup of broth before bedtime, like you would with tea. Try adding some turmeric for added anti-inflammatory benefits. You can also make it into soups or stews, and add it to any recipe that calls for water.
I’ve learned to always keep bone broth in my freezer, because the last thing you want to do is have to wait for it to cook when you really need it. I freeze my bone broth in silicone trays, and then store the broth “pucks” in zip top freezer bags. Each “puck” is exactly 1/3 cup, so I know exactly how much to take out when I’m using it for recipes. Freezing the broth has been such a lifesaver!
Bone broth can seem a bit intimidating if you’ve never made it before, but I promise you that it’s incredibly easy to make! I purchase bones from my local farmers market, but you can also find them at many grocery stores. Whenever I roast a whole chicken or purchase a rotisserie chicken from the store, I use the leftover bones to make broth. I love that nothing goes to waste! If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can easily make this in a large stockpot on the stove, following the same directions.
If you’re looking for recipes for how to make bone broth even more delicious to drink, check out THIS eBook!
As Hippocrates once said, “all disease begins in the gut.” So let’s get to healing your body from the inside out!
Enjoy!
Bone Broth – An Easy Recipe!
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2-2 pounds of bones (you can use grassfed beef bones, lamb bones, chicken carcasses, turkey bones, etc.…)
- 2 chicken feet (totally optional, but a great source of gelatin)
- 4 quarts water
- 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- the cloves from one whole head of garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
Instructions
- Place the bones, chicken feet (if using), water, apple cider vinegar, salt & garlic into your slow cooker. Set the heat to high and bring to a simmer.
- Turn the heat to low and let the broth simmer for 24-48 hours for beef bones, and 12-24 hours for chicken and turkey bones. Add the chopped carrot, celery and onion during the last 12 hours of cooking.
- Turn off your slow cooker and allow the broth to cool.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.
- Place the broth in glass jars and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or freeze in silicone trays or ice cube trays for later use.
- ** When making the broth using beef bones, after refrigerating, some fat may solidify and rise to the top. The fat is called "tallow" and can be scooped out and used for cooking, or simply discarded. Totally up to you!
This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something from one of my links, I will receive a small percentage, at no additional cost to you. I will only ever recommend products that I truly believe in, and that I use myself or find to be very valuable. Thanks for helping me to keep my blog up and running!
How long would you do this in a pressure cooker?
Hi Patti, I haven’t made it in a pressure cooker before, but here’s a link to a post with how to make it – http://nomnompaleo.com/post/16004110328/quick-pressure-cooker-bone-broth
Where do you get chicken feet? I think all the “whole chickens” I have purchased in the past have them removed? Maybe I’m just used to discarding them!
Hi Miquele! I get mine either from the farmers market, or Whole Foods. They’re totally optional, but an excellent source of gut-healing gelatin, if you’re able to find them! 🙂
Hi! I’ve always wanted to make bone broth but have never tried…planning on trying a bunch of your recipes I’ve found! Love your site! How do you add your turmeric? Do you simmer it in with the rest of the ingredients or do you sprinkle in powdered turmeric after it’s made?
Hi Tiffany! I typically add a pinch of turmeric (fresh or ground) after it’s made and blend it in! Hope you enjoy the recipes! <3
This is probably one of the simplest bone broth recipes I’ve seen so far. I love drinking bone broth but I often fail at making it. Now, I’m drinking Au Bon Broth and it’s great. It’s helping me improve my health.
So happy to hear that, Cameron!
Hello I am in my second week of Whole 30 and following this I am sticking with a Paleo way of life! First I want to say I am so incredibly happy that you are healed and in awe of your strength. Your voice I am sure has and will continue to impact many lives. Although I don’t have any diagnosed illness, I don’t feel as good as I should. My body shows it, my soul feels it. As such, I am committed to living a healthier life. 51 years later but hey it’s never too late right? 🙂 My question to you is, where can I purchase the bones? Do I just use bones left from meals I cook? Wouldn’t those bones have already lost nutrients in the process of the meal? Sorry for the silly questions but I want to do this right! Also, simmering for such a long time doesn’t the water evaporate? Many blessings and thank you!
Hi Barbara! You’re so right – it’s never too late! I get my bones from the farmers’ market, or the butcher counter at Whole Foods, and I also often use leftover rotisserie chicken bones – they make an amazing broth too! Some of the water will evaporate, but you’ll still have plenty of broth when it’s finished, and it only makes the flavor richer too!
Hi, I just made this for the first time and can’t wait to try it. While I normally don’t give bones to my dogs I am curious if you give them to yours? I saved mine in the fridge on the off chance they are OK for my pets. I guess I really should contact my vet but just thought I’d get your opinion.
Hi! I only ever give raw bones to my pups to chew on outside – cooked can splinter, but raw is amazing for (most) pups, and mine LOVE them. 🙂 Definitely worth researching!