Ahhhhh - the taste of a good, tasty, warm, clear homestyle bone broth the way grandma use to make whenever we were sick or to warm our bellies during winter. Grandma's secret to a hearty flavoured soup was in the broth!  But how did Grandma make the bone broth so tasty? The secret to Grandma's recipe is...to roast raw bones first for added depth and flavour. Will any bones do?  Preferably a mix of bones with meat on them such as oxtail or knucklebones (cut in half) or hock. Chicken necks have more meat on them which will make your chicken broth rich in flavour plus the necks have more collagen and calcium.

Benefits of bone broth:

• Contains chondroitin and glucosamine to help repair joints and reduce inflammation.
• Improves digestion and aids gut health
• Reduces colds and flu
• May improve healthy skin, nails and hair
• May support joints/bones/cartilage
• Good source of gelatine, glucosamine, glycine and essential minerals
• Muscle building and repair

Homestyle Bone Broth Recipe

 

INGREDIENTS                                                

(quantities of your choice)

Raw bones - preferably a mix of bones with meat on them (oxtail, knucklebones cut in half or
chicken necks)
Carrots - cut into pieces
Medium onions - quartered
Cloves of garlic - chopped
Celery stalks - cut into pieces
Bay leaves
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Raw bones must be roasted before cooking as it helps to eliminate contaminations from the bones to make a clear broth. Plus it enhances the broth flavour. Place the raw bones (meat or chicken) into a pre-heated hot oven and bake at 220oC for approx 30 minutes or until brown. 
2. When you take the cooked bones out of the oven, put the roasted bones into a pot. Add enough water to cover the bones. Then, add apple cider vinegar which helps release the nutrients from the bones and into the water. Allow it to sit for 60 minutes to absorb.
3. Turn the pot on high with the lid off (leave the lid on a crockpot to get hot). Once it starts to boil, skim the foam that will rise to the top. 
4. Add the vegetables, bay leaves, garlic and the black pepper. Turn the temperature down to low and put the lid on. 
5. Let it simmer for 12 to 24 hours for chicken and up to 72 hours for beef, lamb, or pork. Check it periodically to see whether it needs more water to make sure bones and vegetables remain fully submerged.
6. After two hours, the meat on the bones will be ready to eat. The meat is tasteless if it cooks for the full duration. Remove the meat off the bones and put the bare bones back into the simmering pot. Chicken necks are preferable when you make stock from the chicken because they have more meat to enhance the flavour.
7. Once the bones have simmered for the duration, switch it off. Allow the broth to cool. Then, strain the broth into a large container, remove the marrow from the bone, and add it back into the stock if you choose or you can eat it separately. 
8. Taste the broth to see if it needs salt, or wait to add salt when you use it in a recipe. 
9. Allow it to cool, then store it in the refrigerator (for up to 5 days). Remove the fat layer from the top once it's set. The layer underneath should look like brown jelly, which is the part you want to reheat without the fat. Alternatively, place the bone broth into small containers and freeze for up to six months.

 How to use bone broth.

It's suggested to drink 2-4 cups daily of warm bone broth for maximum health benefits at any time of the day. Also, bone broth can be used as a base for soups, sauces, gravies, stew or risotto.

What's the alternative option if you don't have the time to make your own bone broth?

Leading busy lives makes it hard to find the time to make bone broth from scratch. So the alternative option is an instant bone broth powder that is made just like this recipe - homestyle. Simply add 1 tablespoon (8 g) of the bone broth powder to 200 ml of boiling water, and whola, you have your bone broth ready-made! Instant bone broth is as tasty and nutritious as homemade and easy to take on the go. Available in chicken, beef or vegetable flavours.