Homemade bone soup stock or broth should become a staple for anyone who’s starting a journey of healing their digestive (gut) issues.  Bone broth soup stock is also very healing and restorative when recovering from auto immune health issues.

Bone stock or broth might be about the last nutrition powerhouse that many are not aware of.  Making bone broth from bones is very economical, they are dirt cheap.  If you utilize all the bones from the meat you eat, you’ll be getting them free. The bones from turkey or chicken dishes is one example.  You can get the bones from your butcher at a very low price as well.

You can make stock from any kind of bones including those from chicken, beef, pork, lamb, and fish. If you’re fortunate enough to have access to game meat, wild animals have some of the healthiest bones because they eat a diet that’s evolutionarily correct for their digestive systems. Their bones contain all the nutrients they need, and game makes delicious stock.

“Bone stock contains 2 important amino acids – proline and glycine – in addition to minerals and collagen.

• Glycine supports detoxification and helps the body synthesize collagen. It aids in wound healing and supports the release of growth hormones.
• Proline tightens and builds cell structures, strengthening them. A strong collagen structure heals leaky guts, reduces the appearance of cellulite, and improves the strength of skin and vein walls.

A good stock will be gelatinous after it has been cooled. Concentrated stock where a great part of the gelatin has been extracted from the bones will be thick and gelatinous when cold.

• It makes a wonderful cold weather drink straight from a mug, and works wonders when you’re feeling under the weather.
• It’s especially helpful for people dealing with digestive problems.
• Nutrients that we seldom get in our modern diets, such as collagen, gelatin and glucosamine, are extracted. These nutrients are some of the main building blocks of the digestive system and help it stay healthy.”  Source:  http://paleoleap.com/making-fresh-bone-stock/

Recipe For A Great homemade stock

• Simply place a big bunch of bones in a stockpot, cover them with cold water and set the temperature on medium heat and let it come to a boil for 5 minutes only.  Drain.
• Cover bones with fresh cold water and adjust temperature to medium, medium/low.
• Add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar to the cold water to help draw the nutrients and minerals from the bones.

• If you have beef marrow bones, you can roast your them beforehand for 25-30 minutes at 375^oF (190^oC) and then use them to make your stock. This technique makes a much darker stock with a roasted flavor.
• You can easily mix things up and use bones from different animals all in the same pot.

Boil your bones for approximately 4 hours for chicken and fish and up to 6 hours for beer or larger bones. Keep checking to see that the bones remain covered and do not boil dry.

In the last hour of boiling your bones, add your package of herbs.  See the article about the herbs used:  https://www.doreenhill.com/herbs-to-use-in-bone-broths-for-prevention/.  Some of the herbs in the package are edible, however it will be easier to strain the bones and herbs from your stock.  Some people also like to cool the stock and remove the congealed fat that forms on the top.  Leaving the fat or removing it is entirely your choice.  If you use grass fed animals, the fat will be healthy for you.

Storing Your Stock

After your stock is cooked, it’s a good idea to cool it quickly because bacteria can multiply rapidly.  You can also put the stock in small one cup containers and freeze remaining to ensure safety.

What To Do With Your Stock

Once you’ve made this delicious liquid, you may find yourself using it in all kinds of recipes such as soups, stews, or drink it as a healthy broth.  This is a sample of a delicious, nourishing soup. Having the herbs added to my homemade soups gives my body more energy and vitality.