Beef bone broth

I've been reading online about the health benefits of bone broth (rich in numerous vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants - especially calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, which are essential for bone health).  I order my grass-fed beef from a local farm, and the package always includes soup bones - yea!  It turns out the process is very easy.  Within 24 hours, I had 6 pints of delicious beef bone broth.

I started by roasting my soup bones for about an hour.  This really amps up the flavor of the broth.


I chopped up an assortment of flavorful vegetables (carrots, celery, onions).  I also included some colorful vegetable scraps from earlier that day, but the basic carrots/celery/onions are just fine.  These were all chopped up and added to the crockpot.


The roasted bones were laid on top of the veggies. I then deglazed the roasting pan with some water and added it to the crockpot as well.  I covered it all with more water along with some apple cider (draws minerals out of the bones), put the lid on, and let it cook on high for about an hour.  I then turned the heat down to low and let it cook for about 24 hours.  


Deglazing the pan with water:


More water and fresh herbs added:


You can cook the broth for anywhere from 12-24 hours.  The longer you cook it, the more flavorful it will be.  When the cooking is completed, strain the stock into a large bowl and start filling your mason jars.  Once cooled, I put mine in the refrigerator.  The fat will sit on top and can easily be removed after refrigerating, if desired.



I love to grab a jar, heat it up in the microwave, and enjoy a warm, delicious, healthy afternoon treat!  It is also a delicious, satisfying way to get calcium into your or your children's diet!



Recipe:



Beef Bone Broth


Ingredients
  • 2-3 pounds beef soup bones (with marrow)
  • 4 or more quarts water
  • 2-3 onions, chopped
  • 2-3 carrots, chopped
  • 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
  • fresh herbs (i.e. thyme, oregano), optional
Cooking Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large cookie sheet or roasting pan, roast meat until well-browned (30-60 minutes).
  2. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to a 6 1/2 quart crockpot. Lay the roasted bones on top of the vegetables.
  3. Deglaze the roasting pan with water, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the water to the crockpot. Add cider and additional water to cover the bones. Top with fresh herbs.
  4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 12 hours and as long as 72 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the more rich and flavorful it will be.
  5. Strain the stock into a large bowl, then ladle into wide mouth mason jars. Let the jars sit until they are pretty cool, then freeze or refrigerate. You can remove the congealed fat after refrigerating or even freezing, if desired.
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3 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting this recipe. It looks like a really good one, and I have been wanting a good beef broth recipe as I cannot have any msg products.
    I agree with everything you wrote, except I do have concerns as far as using the microwave, and feel it destroys the goodness and health of the broth. I feel it destroys enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Just my thoughts. Again... thanks for posting and for all your recipes!

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  2. Thanks for sharing, looks pretty with all the veggies in there :) Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! :)
    I hope to see you again this week!

    This week is sponsored by Sugar and Spice Market! They are giving away a package of their gluten free sugar cookie mix and a package of their gluten free pancake/waffle mix! It is just in time for the holidays!

    Link up starts tomorrow (thursday) at 7:05pm eastern time! Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

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  3. Hi there. Have you ever used the same bones to make multiple batches? I'm sure the flavor would dwindle a bit, but I thought maybe the nutrients wouldn't as much.

    Thanks!

    Paul

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