Bone Broth [Recipe]

This super-powered recipe for a healthy gut has healed many, including myself, from years of unhealthy food (and alcohol!) choices. Try adding turmeric, ginger, garlic, or miso when serving for added benefits.

Makes 6 to 10 servings, depending usage

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds chicken bones or 8 pounds chicken parts with meat
• 4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 4 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 onions, quartered
• 1⁄2 bunch fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
• 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1⁄2 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
• Any leftover veggies or herbs!

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to a soup pot or slow cooker, noting that the bones and vegetables should make up the bulk of the pot. Pour in water just to cover them.
2. Cover and bring the pot to a boil or set the slow cooker to high.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for at least 3 hours, or overnight in a slow cooker on low. The broth should be dark in color and rich in flavor when done.
4. Strain the broth and discard the bones and veggies. I’ll sometimes push the veggies and herbs against the strainer with the back of a spoon to extract all the broth. Cool and refrigerate it or freeze it for up to two months.

NOTE: You can swap the chicken bones for red meat bones, you’ll just want to roast those bones first for 25 to 30 minutes at 375°F. Fish bones also work great! You can even make a vegetarian version with seaweed using a cup of rehydrated wakame, tons more veggies such as kale and beets, and 1⁄4 cup miso paste at the end of cooking.