recipe: hearty bone brot
Hearty Bone Broth
Recipe by Paige Resnick
Photos by Yarra Elmasry
As Chicagoans know all too well, the freezing temperatures and blustery winds can be the culprit behind frequent illnesses during the winter season. When your mother prescribes chicken soup to cure your sickness, try this recipe for bone broth instead for its truly miraculous health benefits. Bone broth is a type of water-based stock made from animal bones along with meat and vegetables, simmering in a pot for many hours. This delicious remedy has been shown to improve joint health, reduce cellulite and other skin issues, boost the immune system, and heal the lining of your gut, making this soup both a great-tasting and healthy option. The low and slow cooking process releases a multitude of nutrients, healing your body and soul so you can tackle that walk across the Midway when it’s 10-below. Drink it alone like tea, or use this broth as an incredibly flavorful base for soups, gravies, and sauces.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook time: 7-9 Hours
Servings: About 6-8 liters of broth
Ingredients:
Two, pre-cut chickens
3 veal bones (with marrow)*
3lb cheap cut of beef (such as bottom round)*
3 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
8 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 large onions, roughly chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
5-10 sprigs curly parsley
Kosher salt
* You can also replace the veal bones and bottom round with 3lb bone-in beef shank or beef shin, if desired.
Instructions
Place all of the ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with cold water by a few inches.
Cover and bring to a boil (about 1 hour).
Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 3 hours, skimming off and discarding the foam every 20-30 minutes until gone. As level of broth reduces, add a few cups of water each hour.
Remove vegetables and meat from bones and discard.
Return bones to pot and continue to simmer for at least 3 more hours. The longer you cook the bones, the more nutrients are released.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Taste for salt. If the broth is too rich, you can add a couple more cups of water. If the broth is not flavorful enough, you can cook it down for longer.
Remove the large bones from the pot.
Pour through a large strainer into another pot and transfer broth to storage containers.
Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for a few months. Solidified fat can be skimmed from top of broth (or not) when ready to reheat.