Mineral Broth

Don’t throw away your turkey carcass this Thanksgiving! Those bones are FULL of nutrition.

What’s the difference between “stock” and “mineral broth”? The cooking time for mineral broth is much longer, 24-48 hours. The extended cooking time of the bones makes a huge difference to the nutritional properties of the broth. This nutrient-dense broth is incredibly nourishing for the body.

Livestrong.com explains that “the act of extensively cooking bones pulls out an array of minerals, amino acids, gelatin, collagen, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid that become part of the broth. Adding cider vinegar to the bones aids in the extraction of minerals.” All of that translates to healthier joints, muscles and skin!

We make this mineral broth (also called “bone broth”) on a regular basis. Warm the broth and drink it “as is”… it is soooo good for your body and tastes soooo good. You can also use it for cooking rice (instead of using water), and in the winter, we also use it as a base to whip up some broccoli or butternut squash soup.

Never made mineral broth? It’s easy. Buy a roast chicken to save yourself some time. Get three plates or containers. Use one for the bones, one for meat you pull off the chicken, and the other for discarding the skin or other unwanted parts. Throw the bones, along with some apple cider vinegar, veggies and salt in the crock pot, and boom, you’re done. Need a visual? Here’s a quick VIDEO of us cooking up some bone broth this past weekend.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 pounds of bones from a healthy source
• grass-fed beef or organic poultry, antibiotic and hormone free
• 3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 2 TBSP sea salt
• 4 carrots
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2-4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp peppercorns
• Optional herbs and spices: bay leaf, fresh basil, oregano, marjoram, parsley, thyme, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, or any other herb or spice you like.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place bones in a large crock pot.
2. Chop the veggies in large chunks and place in crock.
3. Add salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, and herbs.
4. Fill crock pot with water to at least three-quarters full.
5. Cover and cook on low for 24-48 hours. (You may need to replenish some water along the way.)
6. Strain the broth into glass mason jars. Use within a week, or freeze up to 3 months. (For freezing purposes, leave 2 inches of space in each jar to allow for expansion.)
7. Warm one cup of broth for daily consumption.

NOTES:

• We always cook our broth for 48 hours. The house will smell amazing!
• As a guide, use the ratio of one pound of bones to one quart of water, with one teaspoon of salt and half a tablespoon of vinegar per pound of bones.
• Options- Blend the broth and carrots with roasted broccoli, cauliflower or butternut squash to make a delicious soup for apres ski. You can use the potatoes to thicken up the soup, or instead whip up some home fries for breakfast!