Healing Homemade Broths and Stocks

Healing Homemade Broths and Stocks This post may contain affiliate links. We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. Thank you for supporting Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS with your purchases. Our family thanks you! December 5, 2011 By Roxanne 44 Comments 1.3k342316 Did you tuck a turkey carcass into the freezer after Thanksgiving? Time to get it out! Today, Roxanne from The Holistic Mama shares her easy crock pot (or stockpot) broth method. Plus, she’ll totally win you over to the health benefits of making homemade broth and stock. My method for stock — taught on video in Fundamentals eCourse — differs only slightly, and mainly in how I flavor my stock with ginger. Thanks, Roxanne. This looks great! –Wardee Homemade broths and stocks are essential for optimum health. Making homemade stock is easy and economical, and the stocks are packed with health benefits while they add amazing flavor to any dish. Stocks can be made in a large stock pot on the stove top or in a crock pot, require little culinary skill, and don’t need much attention. You can make a variety of stocks with herbs, vegetables, chicken, beef, fish, or any other meat you like. All are full of health benefits that you won’t find in commercially produced stocks. Health Benefits of Broth Throughout history, many traditional cultures have made broths with bones. Stocks are extremely healing and beneficial to everyone. As the bones boil, the minerals from the bones get pulled out into the water, creating a mineral-rich stock. Homemade bone broths are rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other trace minerals which are essential for optimum health. Because the minerals in broth are easily assimilated, consuming bone broths is a very easy way to get these minerals in your diet. Bone broths also contain glucosamine, chondroitin and gelatin — components that get extracted from the bones. These nutrients are very good for anyone with joint pain or arthritis. Meat and fish stocks made with bones are also very healing to the digestive system. They provide building blocks for the rapidly growing cells of the gut lining. Bone broths have a soothing effect on any areas of inflammation in the gut. This has been used for centuries as a digestive aid and a remedy for the digestive tract. Homemade Broth Saves Money Homemade broths provide many health benefits that commercially made stocks do not. And in addition homemade broths cost much less! A quart size container of organic chicken broth averages around $3.00. If you filled a 5-quart crock pot with commercial stock, you’re looking at $15.00! Compare that to the homemade stock I made last night from half an organic chicken that cost me $5.99. That’s half the price of commercial — and don’t forget how much more healthful homemade stock is! Here’s another cost savings. After making and eating homemade broth for awhile, you may find less need to buy supplements. (Remember, the broth contains lots of minerals plus glucosamine, chondroitin, and gelatin.) How to Make Homemade Broth Making homemade broth is so easy. You can make this wonderfully healing food with few ingredients and little time and effort. My crock pot is almost like a permanent fixture on the counter. I have a broth cooking in it most of the time. To make life easy, freeze containers of stock in small portions ready for use in recipes. It is great to have a lot of stock on hand in the freezer for making soups, beans, rice, sauces, gravies and lots more. What you need: Bones (meaty is fine) from chicken, turkey, beef, fish, or any other kind of meat — including joints, giblets, and/or organs apple cider vinegar filtered or pure water salt and pepper to taste a strip of kombu seaweed (optional for added trace minerals) vegetables (optional for flavor and added nutrients) herbs (optional for flavor and added nutrients) garlic cloves (optional for flavor and added nutrients) Place the meat, bones and parts into a large crock pot or stock pot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the pot. Fill the pot the rest of the way with filtered or pure water. Optional: add any vegetables, fresh or dried herbs, cloves of garlic (you can get creative here!) to flavor the stock. If using a crock pot, turn to low and let cook for 24 hours. If using a stock pot, bring water to boil and then reduce heat and allow simmering for a minimum of 8 to 24 hours. The longer you let it cook, the more health benefits you will receive in your stock. That’s it! This will last a few days in the fridge and 6 to 12 months in the freezer. What’s your broth/stock routine? Have you noticed any differences in your health when you make and eat it regularly? Do you have any tips to share? FREE Video Series: Learn How To... Use Traditional Methods To Prepare Easy, Delicious, and Healing Foods Your Family Will LOVE