Nutrition: "Good Broth Will Resurrect the Dead" -South American Proverb
As we turn to some cooler months (yes, even in San Diego), I have started my weekly bone broth making ritual. I can't say enough about the benefits of bone broth. Don't worry- you don't need to spend $10-$15 on a box at the grocery store, you can make your own so easily!
First, let's look at a very brief summary of its health benefits. Do you recall when your grandma, or your great grandma always told you that when you're sick you just need some chicken soup? I recall my mother telling me that, and at about the age of 12 I asked her pointedly - why? What makes chicken soup so good for the body when you're sick? She looked back at me and said "I don't know but I know it's good for you." I wasn't sold. It wasn't until years later that I started exploring the health benefits myself as I have a passion for food and nutrition as many of you know.
Bone Broth contains minerals to boost the immune system and also contain compounds like collagen, glutamine, glycine and proline. Collagen, which has gotten alot of attention more recently and can be found in drinks and protein powders, heals the lining of your gut and reduces intestinal inflammation (gut health coming later!) The other major thing that bone broth produces is gelatin. Gelatin was an ancient therapeutic agent used by the Chinese. The French really brought gelatin into light by claiming it was the nutritious food stuff, and used it to heal both the shelterless in Paris but also its wounded in wars. Although gelatin is not a complete protein, it acts as a protein sparer, allowing a few morsels to be made into a meal. The French also honed in on its healing benefits including but not limited to: ulcers, TB, muscle diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases and cancers.
Making bone broth is so easy! You basically remove the head of a fish, or the head of the chicken (you can use the feet, if you're so inclined...I typically draw the line there, but I also raise chickens). Start with cool water (as it will help to extract all flavors) and place the carcass in the water to the top, and then bring to boil, skim the top of the water as sometimes things come to the top (you don't want that part), then reduce to a very slow simmer. "Slow and on the bone" is the mantra here. For fish, cook about 2 hours, chicken, turkey around 8 hours and beef will benefit from overnight. I typically start mine on a Sunday around 6 a.m. and have it ready by around 3 p.m. and can pull use for my Soup Sunday early dinner. Remove the meat then, and pour the broth in glass jars. It will last about 5 days in the refrigerator but you can easily freeze it to pull out when you need it. Further, you now have the meat to use as you wish. As I typically make chicken bone broth, I have pulled chicken for sandwiches, soups, enchiladas, quesadillas, stuffed bell peppers, pasta, or pasole which I made this past week for my husband (one of his favorites and he needed a little healing boost.)
Please feel free to email me: tracy@desotosport.com with any questions at all; always happy to help!
