Broth is “sick”. That is what my kids say when something is really cool. But I just learned in the last year just how “sick” broth is.
Bone Broth. I am SO glad I have acquired this knowledge now that we are producing meat. I can just imagine myself when it is time to butcher saying to the guy, ” Dont want the bones or anything but steak and hamburger.” I am realizing some of this stuff is WAY more nutritious than the meat.
I haven’t gotten into beef broth as much as I have chicken broth yet since I don’t have an accumulation of beef bones at any one time. I am sure I could get any amount I want from the butcher. I will check that out. But the beef bones are coming from our pasture soon!
Broth heals us and it is true what Grandma says about sipping it when we are sick, but it is SO much more than that and I am working at incorporating it into our daily life. It is one of those total SUPER foods that boosts our health to grand levels.
So what does it do for us, you ask?
Well, it does this:
It is chock – full of minerals. We are mineral deficient in a BIG way. We spend a lot of time concentrating on just the vitamins that are vital. To be deficient in minerals is devastating.
It nourishes our immune system. This feeds our whole system and keeps illness at bay. Healthy and Strong.
It enhances our digestion system. Through all that I have learned, the digestion system is where it is at. If it is struggling and compromised, then we are free to welcome all forms of bacteria.
It feeds our body collagen where it is needed: joints, ligaments, tendons, skin (supple skin reducing wrinkles) , membranes, mucus and bones.
Not a bad deal, eh?
When we eat chicken, I take all the bones when we are finished (yes, all the bones that are gnawed on by individuals) and throw them in a pot. Fill it with filtered water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 24 hours or more. What is left is this wonderful broth that is very gelatinous. I pour into a Ball jar and pop into the freezer. I use it for lots of things. When a recipe calls for water or liquid, broth, etc. I use the bone broth. It just absolutely cannot be beat in nutrition. It is wonderful when cooking rice, vegetables, soups, drink alone, quinoa or other grains.
There is so much wrong with the broth we purchase today. Canned broth- salt and BPA’s. Boxed broth- salt and wax from container. Cubes- salt and what is that stuff anyway??
I CANNOT wait to get my hands on the cow bones. 
I am tempted to scream this from my roof top:
CONVENIENCE IS NOT CONVENIENT WHEN OUR QUALITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE IS COMPROMISED.
BONE BROTH
Bones of an animal
Filtered water to cover bones
Veggies (optional)
Spices (optional)
Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 24-48 hours. Less for fish. More for beef.
YUMMMMMMO.
Have a super weekend! If you have ideas of what else to do with broth, please share!
On a side note…I looked up the word “chock” that I used above. As it sits alone – chock- the def. doesn’t support my use of it. But there is a word, “chock-full” that does. And it looks like that: chock-full. Not chock full, or chockful. Weird.
Another word thing. I use the word “smegma” a lot. I use it to refer to slimy yucky stuff which I see a lot of around here. I looked it up to see if it was actually a word or did I make it up.
It means:
Smegma (Greek smēgma, “soap”[1]) is a combination of exfoliated (shed) epithelial cells, transudated skin oils, and moisture. It occurs in both female and male mammalian genitalia.
Ooops. My apologies for misusing a word over and over and with your permission, I would like to continue using it in the same way I have been using it.
God bless,
Karen
The Shieling 
Very interesting and colorful article. Thanks.
Please continue the word exploration although your last oops is going to be hard to beat.
I do the bone thing every Thanksgiving and Christmas with the left over turkey bones. Not for as long as you said to cook them, but the turkey soup I make always is very yummy.
You always make me smile! We always save our poultry bones; we don’t eat much beef, but I am tempted to begin buying some grass fed, organic beef. It is more (maybe) expensive, but so much more flavorful and little fat waste. I can imagine how tasty the ‘broth’ would be! My mom taught us to use all the parts of the chicken/beef (well most of them that we got from the grocery store). So we have lots of soup in the winter. I love the idea of using Mason jars! No more plastic, yeah!
By the way, have you ever listened to NPR on Saturday afternoons? A Way With Words, great show for us ‘word nerds’! They have interesting history of words- wonder what they would say about schmegma?
You are too funny! I have not checked out that program, but I will! I am so vocabulary challenged! There is no comparison between commercially raised meat and and small farm raised.