Traditional cultures have been consuming bone broth for thousands of years, and as well as being incredibly nutritious, it’s also great for gut health. Full of protein, collagen, and natural electrolytes, it has detoxifying benefits too.
If you’re looking to heal injuries more efficiently, to care for your skin, joints, hair and nails, or if you want to prevent osteoarthritis and protect your bone density, bone broth is the answer. When we consume real, whole foods, our bodies know exactly what to do with the vitamins and nutrients, whilst consuming mostly processed foods often increases inflammation, high blood sugar, and malabsorption of vitamins and minerals. Whilst we might not eat nose-to-tail or consume organ meats much today, bone broth is one of the ways we can get back to eating whole, real, traditional and healing foods.
A note on health and animal welfare: I know consuming animal products can be controversial, however research shows that this is how humans have been eating since the dawn of time, and it’s a choice I’ve made personally. Everyone is empowered to make their own dietary choices, and if going totally animal-free suits you, that’s great. We buy an organic, biodynamic chicken every few weeks from a local farm. The meat lasts us a few days, and everything else is thrown into a big pot to make bone broth with (which will often last us a whole week). You can also freeze the broth to use later as a base for soups, stews and to add to stir fries. If possible, it’s always best to buy organic and local.
INGREDIENTS
– 1 very good quality chicken
– 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, sliced
– 1/2 thumb-sized piece of fresh turmeric, sliced
– 1 chopped red onion
– 3 chopped cloves of garlic
– 1 tsp oregano
– 1 tsp salt
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
METHOD
– Add everything other than the salt and vinegar to a large pan, cover the chicken with water and boil / poach for roughly 1 hr or until cooked through.
– When cooked, take the meat off the bone and set aside to eat whenever you want
– Place everything left of the chicken back in the pan, add the salt, pepper and vinegar and a little more water
– Simmer for 4-5 hours
– Turn the heat off and strain into a container
– Store in the fridge and drink daily, or use as a base for soup, stews or stir fries
If it forms a jelly-like consistency on top, you know you’ve made a brilliant batch, but as long as you follow these steps you’ll get the benefits.
Enjoy!
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