Anda Bosnea, CNP, RNCP/ROHP

Making your own broth is what Grandma would have done. It is much more nutritious than the store-bought broth. It can be used as a base for any soup or stew, or for stir-frying veggies as it protects their vitamins and enzymes during cooking. Its health and nutritional benefits have been proven by both traditional usage and modern science.

It’s very important for the bones to be sourced from grass-fed, grass-finished and organic beef or chicken, or from wild fish, because their natural diets will translate into a high content of minerals like calcium and magnesium and many other nutrients. This high quality will result in an alkalizing broth with anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties. It will improve digestion and intestinal healing and also support bone and joint health. It is even beneficial for hair, nails and skin.

Making bone broth is not only healthy, but also cost-effective and time-saving since it stores well and it can be frozen for later use.

A pressure cooker is the best choice for making the broth, as it extracts more nutrients, reduces cooking time to an hour or two, and eliminates water evaporation during boiling.

To make “Grandma’s” broth, use organic, grass-fed beef soup-bones. Cover them with cold water and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Store in the fridge for a couple of hours (or overnight) to help release more of their structural minerals into the water.

When ready to start the cooking, add to the pot some roughly chopped vegetables: 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 parsnip, as well as 1 celeriac or celery root. You can also add leftover parts or stems from other veggies (like the broccoli and kale stems in these pictures), and a little salt.

Add enough cold water to cover the bones and veggies. Cook in a pressure cooker or simmer covered in a stock pot for a couple of hours or as long as you like, then let the broth cool. Using a colander or a sieve, strain the broth and use as a base for any soup or stew, or freeze in smaller containers for later use.