Page 56 - Spring2012

and improvement of bone and tendon strength, available on her website. She found using beef feet (the cut of bone right
skin, vessels, ligaments and cartilage. above the hoof) makes batch after batch of gelatinous stock. Amanda
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Finally, broth’s cold-healing ability is no simply strains the current stock from the crockpot, adds fresh water (and
wives’ tale. Dr. Stephen Rennard, a pulmonary vegetables if desired) until she is tired of it or the bones have disintegrated.
specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Amanda has this to say about broth: “Bone broth is a food worthy of
Center, found that chicken soup elicits an anti- having in your kitchen all the time. To aid in your kitchen prep and your
inflammatory effect on the body—mainly due to budget, consider keeping a crockpot dedicated to bone broth. You can have
the mineral-rich stock of its base. The viral bugs bones stewing all the time, adding vegetable scraps (and even new bones),
that cause a cold or flu stimulate formation of as you have them. We often start with a fresh batch of bones and then take
inflammatory compounds in the body, which are great care in using the first and second batches on special soups. The ‘first
to blame for many, if not most, symptoms. As run’ broth will be the best and should be savored accordingly. As you get
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in many chicken soup recipes, Rennard’s version into your third batch and beyond, start using your broth to cook beans and
calls for nutrient-rich ingredients like onions, rice. You will still get nutritional benefit from those bones, and the flavors
carrots, celery, parsley, sweet potatoes, turnips, in the beans and rice will help carry the dish. How many batches of great
and more, which also release nutrients into the broth you get depends on the bones.” 15
broth-base to make a power-packed punch of Either use the time-saving continuous method or make a big enough
nutrition and cold-fighting potential. batch every couple of weeks so you always have fresh, homemade stock
Traditional foodies Amanda Rose and her in the fridge and/or freezer. Ideally, consume this traditional restorative
mother Jeanie Rose, creators of the wonderful daily; with every meal is even better, particularly if you are dealing with
website www.traditional-foods.com, developed digestive complaints, joint troubles or dental concerns.
an easy, fuss-free continuous bone broth method
using a crockpot. While the continuous part is SWEAT YOUR AROMATICS
unique, her success in producing twelve days of Aromatics are flavorful, fibrous vegetables such as onions, leeks,
wiggly gelatin-rich broth from the same batch of garlic, celery, peppers and carrots. Sweating means slowly cooking finely
bones is downright Nobel Prize worthy! Amanda chopped vegetables over a low heat in fat (especially butter) before adding
documents her whole process on a YouTube video any liquid; this softens their fibers, releases their juices, and concentrates

BoNE BRoTH 101

The basics of broth making are quite simple. Always choose bones from humanely-treated, range-fed animals. To impart
a richer flavor and color, first brown by roasting or sautéing the meaty bones from beef, buffalo and lamb on a heavy roast-
ing pan in a hot oven at 350° or skillet on medium on the stovetop until nicely brown, but not burnt. Shin, shank, marrow,
neck and oxtail have high amounts of connective tissue; knuckle bones are high in gelatin. You can skip this browning step,
but you will sacrifice quite a bit of flavor. MEAL PREP STRATEGIES
In a big pot, cover your choice of bones, either chicken, duck, turkey, beef, buffalo, lamb, or fish, in cold filtered water
CRoCk IT: The crockpot is one of my favorite kitchen appliances. Its simplicity and prep speed make it fantastic for the
with one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per quart, which will help liberate the nutrients. If you have access to
fast-paced family. Pulling together a Mexican meat and bean casserole after the kids catch the bus at 8:30 a.m. may be
chicken feet, throw a few in, too; they are well-endowed with gelatin. I will often toss in some dried egg shells as well for
your best option, o different types of shredded cheeses and a scattering of chopped cilantro for quesadillas.
added minerals. A good tip is to freeze the bones and cartilage left over from meals, such as roasted chicken or grilled fish,
until you have enough for a batch of stock.
Leave your stock simple or add your choice of vegetables, such as carrot slices or tops, celery leaves, broccoli stalks,
and onion (these can be saved and frozen until needed from previous meal leftovers and trimmings; it matters not if they
are limp and wilted). Herbs, such as basil and thyme, go nicely in stock as well. Cover all with a few inches of filtered wa-
ter. Slowly bring the water to a simmer and skim the scum that rises to the top. Allow everything to simmer (with a gentle,
periodic bubbling) up to 24 hours (less for smaller bones). A good clue for doneness: the connective tissue is gone if the
bone breaks easily.
Finally, strain, cool, and voilà—homemade, super-food stock! Use it right away, freeze the extra, or chill it in the fridge
and remove the fat that congeals on the top (you can use chicken schmaltz or beef tallow for sautéing or give it to the dog
or chickens). The fat is fine to keep in the stock; it just depends on your culinary taste. keep your delicious elixir in the fridge
for several days or freezer for several months. Making a reduction, by boiling away the water, will create a concentrated
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stock to save room in your freezer.
A good sign you got the desired bang from your bones is when your stock has a jello-like consistency once it cools in
the fridge. However, if this thicker texture doesn’t happen, don’t worry; it is still nutrient-dense. Use your stock as is, or
cook the broth down to allow some of the water to evaporate, which will increase the gelatin-to-water content.
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