Beef Bone Broth

One of the easiest whole food recipes you can make is for bone broth. Not only is it easy, but it is also one of the healthiest foods to make from scratch. With numerous health benefits and versatility, there is no reason to buy it at the store anymore. Beef bone broth is such a wonderful base for your soup and stews. It can be cheaper than buying it at the store if made correctly.

We save up many of our vegetable scraps from carrots, celery, onions, herbs, etc. We freeze them until we are ready to make a large batch of broth. We save many of the bones from the meat we cook and keep them in the freezer as well. This makes homemade bone broth much cheaper than buying it at the grocery store.

Eventually, we would like to raise our own beef so that we can use pieces of the cow such as bones and tallow to be more sustainable. I bought my beef bones from a local couple who raise grass fed beef. While I feel better buying from them instead of the grocery store, if that is the only place you can find the bones for broth do it! Your broth will still be better for you than the processed broths from the store. 

Beef Bone Broth has many health benefits.

• It is good for gut health because of the collagen which can reduce inflammation in the gut.
• Bone broth may help protect your joints because it contains glucosamine and chondroitin.
• It fights inflammation due to the amino acids found in bone broth.
• It can also make your hair, skin and nails healthier, again due to the collagen.
• Beef bone broth is also chock full of things like magnesium, calcium, potassium and many other vitamins and minerals.

Why should I make my own beef bone broth?

• Beef bone broth is a great base for making soups, especially in Asian dishes. Homemade bone broth often has more flavor than what you can buy in the store.
• It adds flavor when making rice, pasta, beans or even a gravy.
• Bone broth is a great drink for when you are sick since it can boost your immune system.
• It makes a nutritious snack.

Beef bone broth is such a nourishing and healthy food, that there is no reason not to make it at home. We like to add bone broth anywhere we can. It is so soothing and gentle on your stomach. We have given our son bone broth when he was sick and wouldn’t eat much. We even cook our rice in it no matter what the rice is going with. It is so full of good nutrition and so versatile, why not add it in where you can?

How to make this recipe:

I start by placing the bones in a roasting pan. They go in the oven at 400 for 40 minutes, turning halfway through.

This step is going to give your broth a deeper flavor. Next I place the bones and scrap vegetables into a large crockpot and turn on low for 10-12 hours.

Once done, strain the broth. You can then freeze the broth for up to six months or place in the fridge for up to one week.

This time, I made two batches of broth. One was in the slow cooker and the other was in our Instapot on the lowest slow cook setting. I ended up letting the broth in the Instapot go two hours longer than the slow cooker and it gelled up perfectly!

Tips for making beef bone broth:

• Don’t add too many vegetables. You don’t want you broth turning out too sweet. The more bones, the more good for you stuff in your broth!
• Be sure to add the apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps to draw out nutrients by breaking down the collagen.
• Make sure you have a large enough slow cooker or that you don’t add too many ingredients. You don’t want to stuff it full only to end up with a small amount of liquid at the end.
• Be sure not to overcook your broth. This will change the flavor. Make sure you cook it long enough as well so that it gelatinizes.

Variations:

• While you don’t want to add too many vegetables, you can control what vegetables you want to add. If you don’t have any veggie scraps saved up, chop up an onion to add along with a little celery or carrot. I have read where people put things like winter squash peels or even mushrooms. We like to keep it simple so as not to overpower the broth.
• If you want more anti-inflammatory properties, add a little ground ginger or turmeric to your broth.
• Different herbs have different flavors. I like to add rosemary to all my broths because I like it. However, if you’re not big on strong herbs, try just adding a little parsley instead.
• If you like garlic, add more than what the recipe calls for. I love garlic, but I try not to overdo it for my husband’s sake.

What you will need for this recipe:

• Slow cooker
• Roasting pan
• Metal mesh strainer
• Large bowl

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Approximately 4 lbs. beef bones
• 2 cups of vegetable scraps
• 2 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• Handful of herbs of your choice
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 8 cups of water

Directions:

1. Start by setting your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place your beef bones in a roasting pan and roast for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
3. Remove bones from oven and place in slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and garlic. Next add the vegetable scraps.
4. Pour water over the bones and vegetables. Add the vinegar.
5. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Strain liquid when done cooking.
6. You can freeze broth for up to six months or keep in the fridge for up to one week.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it inspires you to make more food from scratch. Making food at home, and not buying from the store can give you so much security and peace of mind just knowing that you have that ability. Making bone broth at home can be so much more nutritious as well. If you make this recipe, let me know what you think in the comments below!