Bone Broth Basics
Bubbe was right. You should eat your chicken soup.
Bone broth is the soup du jour. By simmering animal bones for an extended period of time, you extract the maximum amount of cell building nutrients from the bones and add collagen, amino acids and minerals to your diet.
Why buy collagen in an expensive face cream when the old bones that came with your chicken will provide a much higher quality, more usable form of collagen? Collagen is the main protein of the body and what your connective tissues and ligaments are made out of. It's the same thing that makes your skin soft and supple and it's decrease as we age is part of why we wrinkle.
In the last few years, athlete's have been turning to bone broths to aid their recovery process post-workout. When you slow simmer those chicken bones, marrow bones or chicken feet you create a potent broth full of glutamine, glucosamine, hyaluric acid (that's also in your face cream!), in addition to that lovely collagen. That's not even the whole list of nutrients. There are lots more I can't pronounce:)
All these things support your intestinal walls (happy, healthy guts!), and decrease inflammation. Chronic inflammation leads to autoimmune disorders like arthritis and celiac.
Are you sold on bone broth? It's probably already a part of your Shabbos menu. Here's a few ways to make sure you are getting the most out of the bones.
-Bring your soup to a boil then reduce to simmer on low for up to 36 hours. It must be on a low simmer. A slow cooker or even an electric shabbat platta work well for this. If you don't want to fuss with that, just keep your flame low. You will continue to extract nutrients from the bones until they turn soft so don't be afraid to overcook.
-Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to your broth because the acid helps to maximize mineral extraction from the bones.
-If your broth turns to a gel after you refrigerate it, don't fret! That's a sign that you've managed to get out all that lovely collagen. If it doesn't gel, oh well. It's still good for you! No need to make it difficult.
-Add fresh, organic herbs, celery, carrots, or pumpkin for a nutrient boost.
-Make a huge batch and freeze it in glass jars. It's great to have on hand when someone in the family gets a cold or upset tummy. If you're dealing with a chronic inflammatory issue like celiac, arthritis, or IBD, a daily dose of bone broth is ideal.
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