Nothing warms body and soul on a cold, rainy day like a good bowl of soup. The best broth makes the best soup and, as it turns out, confers health benefits as well.
In ages past, soups and stews were a mainstay in many people’s diets. The wealthy would begin their lavish meals with a rich bowl of it, while peasants would content themselves with broth made from inexpensive bones. In both cases, they were providing themselves with a bowl full of the nutrients that are often lacking in our diets today.
Bone broth, that is, soup stock created by simmering meat bones for several hours, is loaded with health promoting substances—especially gelatin. Gelatin, the substance that creates the “Jello Jiggle”, aids digestion by soothing the mucosal lining of the digestive tract. A healed digestive tract goes a long way in treating and preventing allergic responses like eczema, asthma, and allergies.
Studies going back to the early 20th century found a link between gelatin consumption and an increase in blood calcium levels, resulting in the building up of bones. In Japan, a more recent study showed similar successes in mice artificially given an osteoporotic-like condition. In that study, mice given dietary gelatin had significantly higher bone mineral density as compared to the mice not fed gelatin.
How does one make such a nutrient-rich food? Begin by covering bones with water and a splash of vinegar and letting them sit for an hour. Then bring the water to a boil and skim. Cover and allow to simmer overnight or, at least, several hours. Our favorite length of time is 18 hours for chicken bones and 24 hours for beef, lamb, pork, and veal bones. This can be made more doable by using a crock pot on the low setting. Check the pot periodically and add more water, if necessary.
Of course, you can always add roughly chopped vegetables to the broth as it simmers and, for its mineral boost, a handful of fresh parsley leaves at the end. Some also like to roast the red meat bones in the oven before simmering them (350F until browned). These additional steps should be viewed as optional, however, and not required in order to enjoy the health benefits of good bone broth.
Once your broth is done simmering, allow it to cool, then remove the bones and any other ingredients that you added. You can either use your broth right away or refrigerate or freeze it for future use. In addition to forming the base for soups, bone broth can also be used to make sauces or to cook rice or other grains. It can also simply be enjoyed sipped from a coffee cup.
At Morning Star Family Farm in Hartford, WI, we carry bones from our organic-fed, pasture-raised animals so that health-conscious customers like you can obtain the necessary ingredients to produce highest quality bone broth. It is one more way that we provide a link from our farm to your table.
For more information, visit http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/why-broth-is-beautiful-essential-roles-for-proline-glycine-and-gelatin/.
