Blog #3 Bone Broth

Bone Broth: a tasty healthful soup and easily digested medicinal food

Winter is an ideal time to make nourishing soups and a good base to start with is making your own bone broth. To make this broth involves prolong cooking of bones and cartilage of which most meats can be used, including poultry ,beef ,lamb or fish. The prolong cooking of bones in water will result in a broth rich in nutritional constituents that promote strength ,nourishment in times of sickness and rehabilitation , help to tonify blood and prevent bone and connective tissue disorders.

The broth is easy to make with the main drawback that it takes time to cook. Once made, it can be consumed as a snack or quick meal, or used as a base for more complex soup by adding steamed or sautéed vegetables, meat, and or beans.

Jan’s Bone Broth

2 onions,halved

4 inch nub of ginger,halved lengthwise

5-6 lbs of good bones,preferably leg and knuckle

6 quarts of water

3 garlic cloves,peeled

1 tsp. black peppercorn

2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 packet of Pho Spices(1 cinnamon stick,1tblsp coriander seeds, 1 tblsp fennel seeds,5 star anise,1 cardamom pod,6 whole cloves- in mesh bag)

1. Preheat oven to 400*F
2. Rinse bones that are ideally 2-3 inches long with the fat and most of the meat removed placed on a foil-lined tray.
3. Roast bones, uncovered,until brown on all sides,turning every 20 minutes.
4. Add bones to stockpot with enough cold water to cover the bones.
5. Parboil the bones vigorously for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse the bones and rinse out the pot. Refill pot with bones and 6 quarts of water. Bring to boil over high heat and lower to a simmer. Using a ladle to remove any scum that rises to the top.
6. For extra flavor I char my onions and ginger. Place ginger and onions on baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Broil on high until ginger and onions begin to char.
7. Once onions and ginger are charred, add to the stock along with peppercorns,garlic,Pho spices and 2-3 talblespoons of balsamic vinegar
8. Cook half-covered for 4+hours. Add more boiling water if necessary when simmering, in order to keep bones covered.
9. Skim surface to remove scum and impurities- do not stir!
10. Cool the broth removing any fat that comes to the surface. At this point you can reheat the broth and add 2 carrots, 2 celery, 2 tomatoes and potatoes and simmer for an additional hour. This adds more flavor and depth to the broth.

Adding Chinese herbs to broth

Chinese herbs such as Astragalus and Codonopsis may be added to increase the medicinal properties ie. Increase energy,support digestion, and strengthen immune function of the broth. Theses herbs not only enhance the nutritional status of the broth, but are flavorful and add to the sweet taste.