What is Bone Broth?

The word “broth” typically refers to a liquid made by cooking bones. However, some broths may also include a small number of bones as part of the cooking process. So, what's the difference?

Cooking time for a regular broth is 45 minutes to 2 hours. Bone broth takes significantly longer to cook. The cooking time is due to the fact that bones take longer to cook.

Bone broth contains more protein than regular broth, as well as minerals, collagen, glutamine, glycine, and proline, which are all very beneficial.

Now that we have the basics covered, let's dive into how bone broth can improve your overall health.

Bone Broth Health Benefits

While there are many health benefits to drinking bone broth, some of the most notable are listed below. From fatigue and exhaustion to IBS, leaky gut, and more, bone broth can help ease a variety of symptoms.

1. What is the difference between a stock and a broth? 

The debate over what qualifies as stock or broth is ongoing, with various camps arguing over what ingredients are necessary. According to Larousse Gastronomique, stock is the liquid obtained from either simply Mirepoix (carrot / onion / celery) and bouquet garnis (bay leaf / thyme / parsley) OR a soup made with those things and meat pieces. Some say that broth is the bone stock that has been fine strained and had the fat separated, for utmost clarity of liquid, able to be served alone. Stock is then ladeled here and there into sauces, stews, soups and not as ‘refined’ looking / texture as a broth. Then, some say that broth is the meat / veg / herb flavoured water simmered, but without the bones. Stock is then a broth made with bones also and not really with meat. It is then argued that ‘vegetable broth’ doesn’t exist as there are no bones… And so the arguments go on.I don’t argue just for the sake of it, because in the time it takes some people to argue about this stuff, they could have started cooking a batch of stock—which is far more important, don’t you think? So, stock is without bones and broth is with, and depending on your gut health, you will either cook it briefly (2 hours-3hours) or longer to extract the most goodness from the bones (GAPS note: Check question 26 for specific GAPS definitions / what to do if following that protocol).

2. Do I have to use organic bones for broth? 

The text is discussing the importance of bones in terms of storing body toxicity and how organic meat is a clean and ethical option. The author encourages readers to explore this option, as it is economically beneficial as well.

3. So how long do I need to cook it for? 

TheBrothDepends on the type of broth and how sensitive you are to histamines, which can increase as cooking continues. If you or anyone in your family is prone to hives, skin reactions, hay fever, or feeling “wired,” it's best to cook for only 1-2 hours. This way, there will still be plenty of flavor and goodness from the bones, even with fewer ingredients.

It only takes 1-2 hours to extract the gelatin and mineral goodness from fish. If you boil it for longer than that, it will turn bitter and the flavor will be affected.

The cooking time for chicken depends on whether you are doing a short or long cook. For a short cook, the chicken should be cooked for 1-12 hours. For a long cook, the cooking time will be longer.

Beef, lamb, and pork should be cooked for 2 to 24 hours, depending on whether you want a short or long cook.

4. So how long does it last in the fridge? 

If your soup has a thick layer of fat on the top, it can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

If you don't have a good fat layer on top of your jars of homemade preserves, they will only last 3-4 days in the fridge. It's best to keep a couple jars in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.

5. What should I freeze it in? 

The best way to store liquids in the freezer is in glass jars, leaving a good inch of space at the top. This way, if the liquid expands when frozen, the jar won't crack.

6. How long can it be frozen for? 

3 months fish

6 months meat

7. Can I use bones we’ve eaten from? 

Right, so you don't need to worry about the drumstick you nibbled on. USE IT ALL UP. I also save onion, carrot, celery scraps and herb stems in the freezer so nothing goes to waste when I make broth.

8. Can I use raw bones? 

The author is saying that you can fry the chicken carcasses for a bit before simmering them to get more flavor. You can use any kind of oil, like coconut oil, butter, or tallow. For beef knuckle, roast it first at a high temperature for 45 minutes.

9. Can I do anything with the cooked veggies after the stock has been made? 

Can I use the leftover vegetables? Yes, you can use the leftover vegetables in a mashed veggie dish over the next couple of days. The broth contains amino acids which makes the vegetables last longer. This is a great way to save money and create less waste.

10. Do I throw out the fat? 

Heath authorities recommend that you keep the fat when making stock because it is good for preserving the jars in the fridge, it prevents freezer burn, and it is healthy for your brain and body.

11. Do I have to use apple cider vinegar? Why is it added to some recipes and not others?

You don't need to use apple cider vinegar to make stock, but it does help extract minerals from thicker bones. So, for pork, lamb, and beef (especially marrow), a couple of tablespoons to a quarter cup is a good idea. However, it's better to make a stock without apple cider vinegar than not make one at all.

12. Which are the best bones to use?

Certain bones contain more gelatin than others, so while all bones can provide amino acids and gelatin, these will provide the most benefit. However, don't worry if you can't get these specific bones–putting all the bones in the pot will still be beneficial.

Chicken – wings, necks, feet

Beef – Knuckles, marrow

Pork – Knuckles, trotters

Lamb – shanks, knuckles, neck

The best kind of fish to eat are white, non-oily fish. It's best to avoid fish that come from large fish, as they may have mercury or radiation build-up. I often use leftover baby snappers that have been oven-roasted.

13. Can I use cooked bones? 

Sure can. They add depth of flavour.

14. Why is it so important to have a gelatinous broth?

It is not ‘super important' to have gelatinous bone broth, but it is a good indicator that you have cooked the bones long enough, used the right amount of water, and used bones that have high gelatin content. Bone broth with a lot of gelatin is a good way to help with issues around bone and joint health, preparing for childbirth, and recovering from surgery, especially joint or bone surgery. It can also help with leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease, and issues with hair, teeth, nails, or skin.

15. Isn’t leaving a pot on the stove for 12 hours / overnight dangerous? 

I want you to do what feels comfortable to you. If you're not sure what feels right, I generally put the pot on the smallest gas element at the lowest heat. That way, it simmers really slowly. I've never had an issue with this method, and I've been doing it for years. Another option is to put it in a low oven at 100 degrees. Or, you could get a slow cooker (as long as it's teflon- and “non-stick” free) and use that.

16. Does vegetable stock have the same benefits? 

You will not be able to get gelatin, the range of amino acids, the high levels of minerals, the glucosamine, or the colloids that set a bone broth apart from veggie stock, even though you can get a beautiful flavor from veggie stock which is lovely to use in vegetarian dishes.

17. Where can I source organic, pasture raised bones from? 

This may be difficult to do in large cities, but if you really want to, you will find a way. Try our organic directory in your country (for Australia, it is the Australian Organics Directory). You can also try googling things like cow share, organic butcher, grass fed beef, organic co-op, and your suburb/town name, ethical meat, pasture raised chickens. Another place you could ask is at the local health food store, as people who work there usually make sure they have a supply of ethical, pasture raised meat for their meat-eating customers. If you live in Sydney, my butcher is Ethical Farmers. They deliver statewide.

18. Is there an optimal time to consume stock? 

The best time to consume stocks is on an empty stomach or before or during a meal. Stocks contain hydrophilic colloids which attract gastric juices and help heal and seal the intestinal lining. Adding stock to cooked food helps improve absorption and utilisation of nutrients as cooked food does not contain these colloids. I often give my son 1/3 cup of stock with sea salt a couple of times a day, at breakfast or before dinner.

19. If I have joint pain, how much do I drink?

Most evidence for the benefits of bone broth come from anecdotal stories, rather than scientific studies. I know someone whose MRI showed that they had no cartilage left in their knees. They started following a traditional diet, including drinking bone broth, and their next MRI showed that their cartilage had returned – without taking any supplements other than those found in bone broth, like minerals, gelatin, and glucosamine. If you're not sure whether bone broth will help your case, you should ask a health professional.

20. Is fish stock as rich in all the good stuff as meat stocks?

Fish stock is amazing and only needs to be cooked for an hour or two. Some people believe that it can help prepare a woman for childbirth, and this may be because it is the most gelatinous of all the bone stocks. In many traditional island cultures, fish stock is given to women in the lead up to childbirth and to help them recover afterwards. In other cultures, chicken’s feet and pork knuckle soups are fed to women.