Bone broth has been popping up pretty much everywhere these days. Easy to make and brimming with health benefits, it’s no surprise bone broth has made a comeback. It’s a savoury, umami-packed, nutrient-rich liquid that’s good for you in so many ways. You can make it using a slow cooker, instant pot or even your stove top, with each method resulting in a delicious, healthy broth. While bone broth is nothing new (it’s been part of the vast majority of cultures for centuries), it’s definitely making a big splash right now. Take a look at 20 homemade bone broth recipes to amp up your health!
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is a nutrient packed, collagen-filled broth made from simmering marrow-rich animal bones (beef, chicken, turkey, pork) in water for an extended period of time. Bone broth uses a long cooking time to extract as much nutrition out of the bones as possible and tends to use bones that have connective tissue, like the neck, feet and knuckles. It’s restorative and nourishing, and you can add vegetables like celery, carrots and onions, as well as herbs and garlic for extra flavour. Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can be added in small amounts to help break down animal proteins and connective tissues, which helps provide a broth that’s higher in protein and collagen.
4 Health Benefits of Bone Broth
1. Rich in Nutrients
Bone broth is highly nutritious, rich in vitamins and nutrients including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, vitamin A and K2 and minerals like zinc, iron, manganese and selenium. Adding other ingredients and vegetables can boost the nutrients of bone broth even more.
2. Packed with Gelatin
The slow, low cooking of bone broth helps to release the gelatin, which is a broken-down version of collagen. Important areas of our bodies (the lining of our gut and our own connective tissues and joints) are made from collagen, making it essential for our overall health. Collagen has plenty of benefits, including rejuvenating your skin, strengthening your bones and muscles, helping you sleep better and protecting your gut lining.
3. Helps Protect Your Joints
Due to the high amount of gelatin in bone broth, it’s really good for your joints. Gelatin increases the amount of collagen in the tissues, which helps protect your joints from unnecessary stress. Gelatin is filled with amino acids – the building blocks of protein. Glucosamine and chondroitin in particular are thought to reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis and reduce joint pain.
4. Good for The Gut
Bone broth is easy to digest and good for your gut. It’s especially helpful for those with inflammatory bowel disease or leaky gut syndrome. Some of the amino acids present in bone broth are helpful for digestion, especially glutamine, which has been found to help heal the intestinal barrier. Drinking bone broth regularly can be a good way to get anti-inflammatory amino acids into your body.
3 Ways to Make Homemade Bone Broth Recipes
1. Instant Pot
Place your bones in the Instant Pot and add water about 2 inches above the bones. Add your apple cider vinegar and other flavourings like vegetables and herbs. Pressure cook on high pressure for 2 hours, then allow the pressure to release slowly by itself after those 2 hours are up. Strain the broth into mason jars using a fat skimmer then place the broth into the refrigerator overnight. Remove the disk of fat that accumulates on top and discard.
2. Slow Cooker
Add your bones to the slow cooker and then add water about 2 inches above the bones. Add your apple cider vinegar and other flavourings like vegetables and herbs. Slow cook on minimum for 18-24 hours. Cool the broth until it’s safe enough to pour into containers, then place in mason jars and refrigerate overnight. Remove the disk of fat that accumulates on top and discard.
3. Stovetop
If you don’t have an Instant Pot or slow cooker, you can make bone broth on your stovetop with the same results, however this method is extremely time consuming. It needs to simmer on the stovetop for 24 to 48 hours, which is difficult if you need to leave the house or don’t want to leave your stove running for that long. If you’re nervous about leaving the burner on overnight, you can take the broth off, store it in the fridge and restart it again in the morning. You’ll still get a delicious, nutritious bone broth, but the strovetop method is definitely a longer process.
20 Homemade Bone Broth Recipes
1. Basic Bone Broth | Nourished Kitchen
2. Beef Bone Broth | Epicurious
3. Bone Broth (3 Ways) | Wholesome Yum
4. Canned Bone Broth | Ann’s Entitled Life
5. Leaky Gut Bone Broth | Doctor Kara Fitzgerald
6. Homemade Chicken Bone Broth | A Pinch of Healthy
7. Instant Pot Pork Bone Broth | All The Nourishing Things
8. Easy Slow Cooker Bone Broth | Organic Authority
9. Tosca’s Bone Broth | Clean Eating Magazine
10. Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth | Tasty
11. Thai Pork Bone Broth | Fine Cooking
12. Turkey Bone Broth | Maple + Mango
13. Chicken Bone Broth (+ Super Immune Boosting Ingredient) | Homesteading Family
14. Bison Bone Broth | North Star Bison
15. Immune Power Bone Broth | Meghan Telpner
16. Rich and Gelatinous Beef Bone Broth | Mary’s Nest
17. Rotisserie Chicken Bone Broth | Thyme and Joy
18. Gut-Friendly Pork Bone Broth | CulturEatz
19. Hearty Slow Cooker Bone Broth | My Chef’s Apron
20. Roasted Chicken Bone Broth | Minimalist Baker
If you’re looking to add more bone broth to your diet, these recipes are sure to be your ultimate to-gos!
