In traditional Chinese medicine, Bone broth was used as a digestive tonic, blood builder, and kidney strengthener due to the high collagen content, bioavailable minerals and amino acids that can only be found in bones and connective tissue.
Bones and connective tissue are storehouses for essential amino acids and minerals — many of which we don’t get enough of in our diets today. Today, there is a lot of buzz about Collagen Type II because it improves the appearance of skin and is considered to be one of the best foods you can eat to combat aging.
The secret of making bone broth is the length of time, simmering for many hours with veggies, herbs, and spices, such as thyme, bay leaves, parsley, and garlic. You can use any bone or ligament, but knuckles, feet, and femur bones contain the most collagen. The slow simmer makes the ingredients easy for your body to absorb the nutrients and helps fight systematic inflammation which is the root cause of many illnesses and disease.
Slow Cooker Bone Broth Recipe:
4 pounds of beef bones (knuckles, feet, femur, neck or short ribs)
2 tablespoons apple cider
2 medium unpeeled carrots
2 celery stocks
1 large yellow onion quartered
2 bay leaves
15 sprigs fresh thyme
3 gloves of garlic smashed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Kosher salt to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spread beef bones out on baking sheet. Roast bones in the preheated oven until browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Place carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a slow cooker. Place roasted bones over vegetables; pour in enough cold water to cover bones. Add apple cider vinegar and kosher salt. Cook on low for 8 hours. Pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard bones and eat vegetables. Continue to cool until barely warm, then refrigerate in smaller containers overnight. Remove solidified fat. Enjoy 🥕
