There are many benefits to consuming bone broth. For me, it was just how I learned to make soup. I honestly, didn't even consider dumping a container of store bought broth into a pot! Thanks Mom for teaching me such a healthy way to make soup!! I had no idea I was building my immune system with each delicious slurp. A bone broth is loaded with minerals. In fact, it's now considered a super food, because it's so loaded with healing compounds. A bone broth contains collagen, which heals your gut lining and reduces intestinal inflammation. It has high levels of glycine, which promotes a restful sleep. It is filled with phosphorus and magnesium; minerals which seep out of the bones into the broth. These compounds are fantastic for your bones and joints. Basically if you are sick, a bone broth soup will build you back up!
The trick to a good bone broth is time. The longer you leave it, the more nutrients and minerals it will possess. I have left a chicken carcass in the slow cooker for up to 24 hours. Just boiling away with some veggies!!! Today my rib bones are stewing on the stove for 6 hours. That's pretty much a minimum for a bone broth, but I want soup for dinner!
When prepping a broth, fry up some veggies and bones in some olive oil, along with your favourite seasonings. Pepper, basil, garlic, bay leaves, salt, thyme. Really go crazy...if you love it, add it to the broth.
Add water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue boiling for a minimum of 6 hours. Watch your water level and top off, if need be.
When you're ready to take your bone broth off of the stove, you've got options!! You can cool it and keep it in the fridge; up to 5 days or freeze it for a later date. Today, I'm making beef and barley soup.
The trick to a good soup is adding the ingredients, according to their cooking time and chopping the individual ingredients in an uniform manner.
Barley first!!! Be sure to rinse your barley. I'm adding half a cup! I put my thyme in on the first addition. Often, it cooks off of the stocks of the plant. The stocks can be removed later.
I had to top up my soup stock with water so I added 1/2 tsp of knorr powdered beef broth. Add this sparingly, this stuff goes a long way!! Also, I shook in 1/2 a tsp of of tarragon, I love this flavour with beef.
After the barley has simmered for 15 minutes, add potatoes and carrots. Leave the pot simmering with the lid on for an additional 15 minutes. Take this opportunity to pick the meat from the cooled bones. Soup is truly an economical food. Made from ingredients that you have on hand and some that you might otherwise throw away. Add the meat to your pot. Though this meat is a little less flavourful than your reserved protein; it will increase the heartiness of your soup. After 15 minutes have passed, check your veggies and barley for doneness. Mine were perfect and the thyme had floated off of its stocks; which I removed from the soup.
Add your zucchini and beef, simmer for 5 more minutes. When this step is complete, remove from the burner, add 1/2 a cup of frozen peas, stir and serve yourself a bowl. I'm adding sriracha to my bowl tonight!! I have some congestion to clear! Also, I'm enjoying my soup with a slice of Beefy Yorkshire Pudding.
Thanks for reading!! If you have any questions or you just liked this Big Idea feel free to comment below!
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