Bone Broth

Making bone broth is quite simple to do and is way more beneficial for your health than those hard bouillon cubes or even a simple stock. Since the bones are simmered for a longer time with bone broth, it allows for more time to release more collagen, bone marrow, amino acids, and minerals, such as calcium, zinc and magnesium (Cleveland Clinic, 2018). It’s also more economical than the alternative.
 
You can drink it like a cup of tea. Or, I typically will I freeze or can it, and then use it in recipes that call for broth or stock, such as soups, gravies and other dishes. When I made this recipe recently, I used a combination of goat and beef bones.

Nutrient-Dense Bone Broth – Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
Ingredients

• Enough bones to fill the bottom of your slow cooker or Instant Pot – recently I used a mix of beef and goat bones
• 2 tbs. apple cider vinegar 
• Vegetables, such as onion and celery, if you wish
• 1 tbs. refrigerated minced garlic
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• Fresh herbs, if you wish
• Water

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 F degrees.
2. Rinse bones, layer on sheet pan to roast in oven.  Include veggies, if you wish. I usually will add the onions, but not other veggies at this point. Roast for 1.5-2 hours until the bones are browned, even a little crispy looking. Time may vary on the type of bones you are using.
3. Remove the bones and place in your slow cooker or Instant Pot. If there’s any extra fat or brown crispiness left on the pan, scrape it off and add it to the cooking pot.
4. Add apple cider vinegar, vegetables, garlic, herbs, and sea salt. Fill the cooking pot with water to the top, covering all the ingredients. In the Instant Pot, be sure to keep the water below the max line. I like to fill a cup below this line.
5. Cooking Instructions: Slow cooker: Cook on low for 48 hours. Instant Pot: Set on low pressure, cook for 30 minutes.
6. After cooking is complete, remove bones, vegetables and herbs. You can strain any other residue at the surface. I prefer to keep the extra fat on the top, but some may want to take it off. 
7. Prepare for storage: Freeze in mason jars or zip top bags (leave room for expansion, or they’ll pop). If I have enough time, I’ll can the bone broth so I can store it in my pantry and keep my freezer space for other items. 

• Drink hot, like tea for an extra daily immunity boost 
• Ingredient for recipes, such as soups, gravies or other dishes. I also like to swap bone broth for the water when cooking rice

• Keep a gallon size zip top bag in your freezer to add veggie scraps and bones when cooking other meals. Use these items as future broth ingredients. I save chicken bones, bones from steaks, onion ends, veggies that start to go soft, etc. 
• You don’t have to roast your bones. It just adds an extra depth of flavor. If the bones are from another meal where the meat/bones are already cooked, I usually don’t roast the bones.
• If we have a whole chicken for dinner, I’ll debone it after and then put the whole carcass with some of our frozen veggie scraps into a slow cooker to start a batch of bone broth.
• If you order whole/halves/quarters of meat from a farmer through a butcher, ask for the bones. Sometimes they’re aren’t on the cut sheet, but typically you can still get them.