Today's -40c windchill in Winnipeg has me feeling quite content to know that I have bone broth bubbling away in my kitchen. This fragrant recipe quickly has your whole home smelling like the perfect winter comfort food and truly helps you savour the winter even during the coldest days.
Bone broth is an elixir that has been used for many centuries, amongst many cultures and in my opinion, can benefit the taste of most recipes. I usually make a big crockpot full of it so I have enough to serve it's many functions. Typically I make a big batch of soup with some of it, save some in a jar for drinking on it's own and also freeze the rest in a muffin tray so it can be later used as individual bouillion cubes to rice, stews, soups etc.
This cheap, delicious and nutritious alternative to store bought broth has been the focus of much research lately. Chalk full of Calcium, Magnesium, Gelatin, Collagen, Glucosamine and Chondroitin (amongst many other vitamins, amino-acids), this super food has been proven to help boost your immune system, benefit your digestive system and relieve joint and arthritic pain.
If you are a client of mine and suffer from any of these issues, chances are I have already recommended this recipe to you!
Instructions: - Preheat oven to 400 C - Rinse bones in water and pat dry, then lightly oil and salt them on a cookie sheet and throw them in the oven for 30 minutes - While the bones are in the oven put some onion, garlic, sliced ginger and vegetable scraps (optional) into your crockpot and fill 2/3rds with water - Once the bones are done in the oven, add them to the crock pot along with their sizzling juices - Bring broth to a boil and then add the bay leaves and a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (which will help leech out the minerals from the bones) and then let simmer for 12-24 hours (time depends on size of bones used) - Remove/discard the bones and vegetables from the broth and then use the flavourful broth for whatever your heart desires! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! *use whatever ratios of vegetables/onion/garlic that you like. I like my broth quite strong so I usually use 1 large onion, two inches of ginger and about 10 cloves of garlic to 3lbs of bones but you can play around to find your individual preference. Happy cooking!