It’s that time of year again, no, not pumpkin everything but cold and flu season. Consider making beef bone broth to stay healthy this year.
New! Read below for added Instapot directions.
I’m sure you have heard the saying, “there’s nothing like homemade chicken soup to make you feel better”? There’s actually a lot of validity behind that saying. When you make a broth from bones you are adding a plethora of good-for-you nutrients.
Bones have trace minerals that our bodies need and is not readily found in most foods. By adding vinegar to the stock, you are help to release more gelatin from the bones. Gelatin provides an amino acid that helps with joints and it is very hydrating; exactly what you need when you are sick or to help ward off sickness.
This weekend I made beef broth. I am lucky enough to have a “beef guy”. I feel my inner Jersey girl coming out by saying, “I have a guy for that”!
But seriously, we get our grass-fed beef from a local rancher here in Colorado. I love having the connection of knowing where my food comes from and being able to meet the rancher that raises the meat we eat. This weekend I picked up my order of steaks, ground beef and soup bones.
I want to make french onion soup for the holidays so I figured I would get a head start on the broth.
Bone broths are extremely easy to make, and you can control the flavors in it and sodium content which is fantastic. If I’m making chicken broth I typically just save leftover chicken bones from roasted chicken and veggie scraps and freeze them; when I have enough bones and veggies accumulated I make broth.
Just remember, low and slow with broth, low and slow!
I hope you enjoy the smells your house will take on this winter from making this simple, nutritious base for meals.
Bonus picture: My weekend stock up of beef for the fall/early winter!
Beef Bone Broth
Ingredients
- 1 onion-quarted
- 6-7 celery ribs
- 3-4 carrots
- 4 Beef bones if you can handle the sight of them, beef knuckles work well in this
- 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Place veggies, vinegar and bones in a 6-quart slow cooker and then cover with water. and cook on low for 12 hours.
- After 12 hours has past, add the bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic and thyme (if you add the spices in the beginning you run the chance of them turning bitter, not a good thing at all).
- I do not add any salt to mine because I use the broth in different dishes and like to control the salt content that way, if you are drinking this broth as is, salt to taste.
WW Information
Nutrition
Place veggies, vinegar and bones in a 6-quart slow cooker and then cover with water. and cook on low for 12 hours.
After 12 hours has past, add the bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic and thyme (if you add the spices in the beginning you run the chance of them turning bitter, not a good thing at all). I do not add any salt to mine because I use the broth in different dishes and like to control the salt content that way, if you are drinking this broth as is, salt to taste.
Beef Bone Broth Instapot Instructions
(About 2.5 hours)
- Place ingredients in Instapot as recipe indicates.
- Be sure Instapot is no more than 2/3 full.
- Set Instapot to “Soup” and increase minutes to 120 minutes.
- Allow to vent naturally.
- Follow remaining recipe instructions as indicated.
Strain the liquid from the veggies and bones and voila, a simple, nutritious dish! I typically freeze mine in small measured out batches so I can add it to dishes when needed.
by Jen Pedri, guest Paleo blogger
Click here for more Paleo recipes.
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