If you’ve spent any time online lately – especially on social media sites or food blogs – you’ve no doubt seen ads about bone broth. The latest sensation in the natural health world, bone broth promises a variety of potential health benefits. If you’re thinking about trying a bone broth recipe, here are some things to consider first.
If you’re curious and search the web for “bone broth recipe,†you’ll be faced with 1.2 million results. People are searching for bone broth because it may offer support for seasonal health challenges, promote a good night’s sleep, support joint health, or support healthy looking skin, hair and nails. Some health experts and food bloggers have even gone so far as to call it a “super food.â€
Truth be told: The hottest new health craze is a bit of a misnomer. Traditionally, stock (such as chicken stock) was made of bones and was thicker and more viscous, because of the collagen that was extracted from the bones (and joints) during a long and slow cooking process. Broth was made from the meat of an animal, making it thinner by comparison. So when the bone broth craze really became a craze, Bon Appetit reached out to Marco Canora, chef of two popular New York City restaurants (one of which has a walk-up to-go broth window), to find out the current most-trusted definition of the two.
What is Bone Broth?
“Bone broth is essentially stock,” Canora told Bon Appetit in an interview earlier this year. “… Three to five years ago, because of the wellness and paleo trends, stock started being called bone broth. It really short-circuited my brain.”
Clear as broth to us too! Or is it stock? Basically, the bone broth of today is akin to the stock all of our grandmothers once made from Sunday dinner scraps, using it as the foundation for soups, gravies, and other meals later in the week.
If you’re considering trying bone broth, there are many ways to work it into your healthy lifestyle. Food bloggers are happy to share their favorite bone broth recipe with you. There are full cookbooks dedicated to the subject. And you can purchase concentrated bone broth to sneak into your morning smoothie or protein shake if you don’t want to experience the smell or gelatinous texture of the real stuff.
Common Ingredients
Go back to those 1.2 million bone broth recipes found via web search. You don’t have to dig through a million – or even a thousand – of those recipes to find a great one. They all basically have three things in common:
- Animal bones and/or joints. You’ll want to make friends with your local butcher to gain access to animal knuckles, joints, ribs and necks.
- Fresh vegetables & herbs. Fresh whole foods are a great reason to visit the farmer’s market this weekend. Some popular vegetables to include in a bone broth recipe are onions, celery, carrots, garlic, artichoke, asparagus, kale, and peas. Herbs you could include are parsley, thyme, tarragon, and sage, but don’t stop there!
- A long cooking time. Your house is going to smell delicious.
Bone broth recipes can include beef, chicken, lamb, or even fish bones. Many chefs recommend starting with chicken, since others can be a bit overpowering. They also encourage using bones from organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed animals if possible.
Looking for a simple bone broth recipe to get started?
If you’re ready to try the current food craze on your way to a healthier you, a recipe with a four-out-of-four rating, with 100 percent of the cooks who tried it saying they would try it again, might be a great place to start. Epicurious has a delicious chicken bone broth recipe. As they point out, it’s also very easy to make it your own by switching up the vegetables that you use, as well as the herbs.
For more research about the potential benefits and uses of bone broth, click here.
Have you found a favorite bone broth recipe? Have you experienced positive health benefits? We’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!
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