The Ultimate Bone Broth Recipe for Comfort and Health

As we approach the fall season, I want to share one of my favorite things to have on hand in my kitchen. I love bone broth; for me, it is the ultimate comfort food. I never had real, homemade bone broth until I was faced with a chronic illness in my early twenties. Growing up, it was always just boxed stocks and broths that came with an assortment of ingredients that I never questioned. I remember one Thanksgiving one of my friends’ moms made turkey bone broth and I thought she was crazy. I could not understand why she would boil bones. Little did I know that I would be doing the same thing one day. There are so many incredible nutrients that come with bone broth and you can use the whole animal, which saves money in the long run.

Why We Love It

It is probably one of the most affordable and simple foods to make. I personally prefer chicken bone broth over beef bone broth because it is a little more mild in flavor and the chicken goes a long way, especially if you are buying a whole chicken. You can use the meat for meals and then save the bones. I always have a package of beef bones on hand as well in case I am running low on chicken bone broth.

Bone broth is also a great way to use up veggie scraps. I have a big bag in my freezer that I put my veggie scraps in. This includes onion skins, garlic skins, kale stems, carrot tops, celery bottoms, greens that I haven’t used up, fresh herbs that I won’t use in time, fennel stalks, and the list goes on. It’s much more cost-effective to pull a bag of veggie scraps out of the freezer, than it is to go out to the store and buy extra ingredients for bone broth. It is also a fun way to choose your own flavor as well. Over time, I have found my favorite ingredients to combine so let this be the sign to start experimenting with your own flavors.

Versatility

I love how it can pair as a snack. I like to drink bone broth in the afternoon for a pick-me-up. I like to add fresh cilantro and ghee for a bit more substance. There are so many other ingredients you could add to it as well. It’s also amazing during or after travel. I know for me, I typically feel pretty off when traveling so having a cup of bone broth once I am home, or if the opportunity presents itself while traveling, I will drink it. It always soothes my stomach and is super comforting.

Health Benefits

Bone broth should be considered a superfood. There are so many gut-healing properties like gelatin, which strengthens the intestinal wall. It can reduce inflammation and aid in the absorption of nutrients. When I was healing my gut, bone broth was a staple in my diet. I drank it most days and it made a big difference for me. There is truth to drinking bone broth while you are sick, although you definitely want to be drinking high-quality broth and not a canned soup version. I love having multiple jars in the freezer so that when I need it, I always have it on hand.

I am so excited to share that I will be leading a virtual, hands-on cooking class coming up soon. We will be making bone broth and soup. I would love to see you there. 🙂

Homemade Bone Broth

Ingredients:

Pasture-raised chicken bones from a whole chicken
- OR 3-4 grass-fed beef bones, roasted at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
- OR whatever bones you have on hand (i.e, turkey, bison, goat, elk, deer, etc)
3-4 handfuls of veggie scraps (example: a mix of onion skins, garlic skins, carrot tops, celery bottoms, kale stems/leaves, see Notes for more options)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-4 Tbsp salt
1-2 gallons of spring or filtered water, depending on the size of your stock pot or crockpot
6 sprigs of fresh herbs (I like thyme and parsley in particular)
1 Tbsp peppercorns
Optional: a square of seaweed (I prefer kombu)

Directions for stock pot or crockpot:

Add all ingredients into a stock pot or crock pot.
Cover and simmer for 12-48 hours depending on the time you have, the bones you are using, and the flavor you are going for (see Notes for more details)
Strain broth into a large colander that sits in a large pot. Then, using a funnel, pour the strained broth into glass jars making sure to leave about an inch and a half of space between the broth and the top of the jar so that it can expand if freezing. If it is filled all the way to the top, it has a better chance of shattering in the freezer.
Let the jars cool off before putting a lid on and storing them in the fridge.
1. If you made broth that you want to freeze, let it sit in the fridge overnight and then put it in the freezer the next day. You never want to put hot broth directly into the freezer because it could shatter and that would not be fun to clean!
Bone broth can be enjoyed for up to 2.5 weeks in the fridge.

Notes:

Other ingredient options: I have used ginger, turmeric, coconut aminos, coconut flakes, peppers, tomatoes, and seaweed.
Length of time to simmer based on kind of bones:
- Chicken or turkey: I simmer mine between 24 and 30 hours. Longer than that the bones seem to disintegrate.
- Beef bones: 24-48 hours
- I have not used the other kind of bones I mentioned so I would start at 24 hours and go from there.

Nourish Yourself and Your Career

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About the Author: Meghan McGee is a graduate of NTI’s Certified Natural Food Chef program as well as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She believes food is the most powerful catalyst that brings people together. Sitting around a table, enjoying a nourishing meal with strangers or friends is her absolute favorite thing to do. Her mission is to inspire others to take control of their health. You can find Meghan’s personal chef and other services at megsnourishedkitchen.com.

Photo by Meghan McGee