Thursday, September 22, 2016

Motherly Advice....the health giving benefits of Bone Broth...

 
Bone broth is one of those things our Nannas used to make. Or at least mine did.
 
If we'd been unwell, it was always Bone Broth for a week or even two, to rebuild your immunity, and 'put the roses back in your cheeks'.
 
If you've been under the weather, and find you're struggling to get back on top of things, maybe a good Bone Broth is in order. Drink this as a morning cuppa, a nightcap, and add vegetables, noodles and meat to it for meals.

I firmly believe this sees us restored to good health in a relatively short space of time.

This method is one that that takes advantage of the easily digested broth, and the nutrients in the vegetables, added both whilst cooking, and afterwards for serving, to extract the maximum vitamins for optimum health. As a nightcap, it beats milk or a hot toddy hands down.
 
Many benefits are recorded by devotees of Bone Broth. From clear skin and eyes, to strong nails and glossy hair, to general wellbeing, deeper and more restful sleep and relief of joint pain, so it's not to be sneezed at!

Here's the recipe Nanna Style, in four sentences....
 
Soup bones, usually consisting of bits of thigh bone, or the middle of a leg of lamb, or just offcuts not useful for any other purpose, are roasted at Medium heat (240F/100-120C) for 30 minutes, to enhance their flavour (if not already roasted and being used as a leftover). They are then added to the stockpot or Slow Cooker, with any herbs and aromatics on hand, and simmered on very low for 24 hours. Onions, Garlic, Bay Leaves, Ginger and Thyme are a good combination. This is the basic broth, which you then expand upon for meals.

~0~
 
After 24 hours on low simmer, you take the bones out, and remove all of the meat from them. This is an easy process as the meat just falls off at this stage. I usually discard any bits of fat or gristle too.
 
So your broth ends up looking like this....
 
 
...the soup bones are picked clean of lean meat...

 
...and you end up with a satisfying pile of braised meat like this...
 
 
Now at this stage, you can chill the soup in the refrigerator, and allow the fats to solidify on the surface for removal. I do this if I have time, but often I want to use my Bone Broth immediately, so if the bones I've used were fairly lean to begin with, I don't always bother. The tiny amount of fat in the broth, can actually enhance the flavour, if anything.
 
To the broth and lean meat, I now add herbs and spices, sometimes Asian aromatics like soy sauce, fish sauce, coriander and ginger, and sometimes more traditional ones like Bay Leaves, Peppercorns, Thyme and Rosemary. Either way, cooked rice noodles or rice are stirred through, and once it's spooned into bowls, fresh herbs like Coriander (Cilantro) or Basil are used as a garnish.
 
This is the sort of food that just makes you feel good.
 
There are many, many dietitians and nutritionists advocating the use of Bone Broth for everything from weight control, to management of arthritic pain and healing of the gut. It's worth a try, and a more economical thing, cannot be imagined.
 
I constantly have one batch chilling, ready for consumption, and another simmering, ready for tomorrows yummy meals and snacks at the moment. I don't feel hungry, and my fatigued body, is already responding to the dense nutritional value in the broth and meals prepared from it.
 
If you're feeling a little under the weather, try a Bone Broth and see if it makes a difference to you. I think you'll be surprised.
 
 
...Mimi...

14 comments:

  1. Bone broth is great isn't it, Mimi? I am currently cooking chicken soap but didn't cook the bones for too long although I would have if I had thought of making it a bit earlier rather than at the last minute. Oops! It has turned cool here so we are back to having soups once again.

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    1. Chel, I really think that this time, recovering from a truly awful virus, that it's made a huge difference. Yes, it's strangely cool here too! Not long before Summer arrives and it will be harder to anticipate Bone Broth for morning tea, but I shall persevere! Mimi xxx

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  2. Thanks for all the info☺ The broth looks great ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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    1. A pleasure Summer. I hope you find it comforting too. Mimi xxx

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  3. I just fixed a roast with bones yesterday and the broth is wonderful! I can still use the bone and make it even richer! Trust you will get to feeling better soon. Thank you for the great ideas.

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    1. Dear Lynn, thankyou. I am feeling much better this week. I hope you enjoyed your roast! Mimi xxx

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  4. Hi Mimi, Bone broth is something new to me. Thanks for sharing. Aren't Nana's wonderful? I appreciate you sharing at DI&DI. Happy Fall to you.

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    1. Thanks Linda. It's a most comforting and restorative thing. There are whole websites devoted to Bone Broth. It's worth a look! Happy Fall to you too. Mimi xxx

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  5. Hi Mimi, I do love bone broth when "I" make it, actually the housemate makes my recipe as I cannot handle meat products, but I love love love the nourishing feeling it gives. I think I lived on it all of 2015. Now I'm into seaweed/miso broth Japanese style, O.M.G. another one that sends me over the moons.

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    1. Ahhh...miso...another pleasure here. It's fabulous too! Mimi xxx

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  6. I make this stuff all fall and into spring. I drink it like a hot drink and use it in recipes. It is the best stuff! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

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  7. This is great. Thanks so much for this. I will try it next time I'm under the weather. Thanks for linking up to Monday Social #4. I hope you will come back next week.

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  8. The perfect post for this time of year... With temperatures cooling down, I'm starting to think soup for supper. Thank your joining Monday Social.

    Jduith

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  9. Wow...this sounds so tasty!

    I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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I love hearing from you! I always respond to comments, so don't be shy! Mimi xxx