Simple Bone Stock

Whenever I get a chance I get some open beef bones and joints from the butchers to make a large batch of bone stock.

Why?

I include bone stock frequently in my diet often for several reasons:

1. Flavour and to avoid the use of processed stock cubes – real stock adds amazing depth to soups, casseroles, stews and any recipe asking for stock as an ingredient.
2. Ethical balanced eating – it is correct to eat as much of the animal as possible, for ethical and nutritional reasons. Excluding organ meats, the cartilage, bones, gristle, and fats excludes many vital nutrients from the diet when only the leaner cuts are chosen. AND it is wasteful.
3. Winter warmth when the summer juice season is over I switch to warming soups and broths made from fresh bone stock and as many veg as I can get in one soup. Juices are very cooling and often not appropriate for people in the cooler autumn and winter months. So switching my strategy to warmer vegetable containing foods ensures I continue my nutrient rich pH balancing diet.
4. Skin, hair and nails – this stuff is the bomb for supporting the health and vitality of the skin, hair and nails replacing any need for supplements containing collagen, hyaluronic acid or other structural protein (glycine and proline) supplements.
5.  Immune system – the marrow fat contains many immune supporting factors and minerals from bones also support a healthy immune response. Adding ginger, turmeric, herbs, pepper, chili and plenty of veg (shiitake mushrooms are a great choice) to your stock will add more immune supporting clout.
6. Gastrointestinal and liver health – the minerals and structural protein and soft tissue building ingredients in bone stock support the healing and repair of an inflamed gastrointestinal system and liver detoxification function. Broths also providing easy to digest nourishment to the whole body. Use broth to prepare nutrition filled soups and casseroles to add even more food quality to your diet.
7. Bone, tooth, and joint health; wound and musculoskeletal system healing – bone broth is rich in minerals and ligament and tendon healing ingredients. The addition of ginger, turmeric, herbs, plenty of veggies and some omega 3 rich salmon to your broth will give you a broad spectrum natural healing supplement and will aid injury prevention in active persons.
8. Cheap – most butchers don’t charge for bone marrow beef bones, lamb bones, or pork bones. Beef long bones and the large gnarly joint bones containing tendons and sinews are fantastic choices as they will provide marrow fat and also more soft tissue supporting nutrients.

Easy.

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