By now, you’ve likely heard that bone broth is good for you. It has a number of properties that benefit your gut, joints, and so much more. Many options in the stores contain little to no real ingredients. Even if you get a higher quality bone broth, it will have significantly fewer nutrients than making it yourself. I would love to share all the tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way. Be sure to check out the freebie at the bottom of the post with all the details!

We discovered bone broth when searching for remedies for my husband’s Crohn’s disease, and it has been a GAME CHANGER for his health! When we first discovered bone broth, he tried a number of powders. Some were better than others, and the powders are certainly more convenient than making your own. However, I’m here to tell you it is worth it to take the time and effort to make your own!

Why You Should Have Bone Broth Every Day

Anti-aging: Bones contain high amounts of collagen. When boiled, this collagen breaks down into gelatin and other amino acids including glycine and glutamine. Collagen has several benefits including decreasing wrinkles in the skin, promoting healthy nails and hair, and increasing bone mineral density.
Gut Health: The gelatin found in bone broth is also beneficial in the digestive tract. It lines the digestive organs, binding with water to help food move through the intestines. It is great to sip on a little broth at the beginning of a meal. It will aid in the digestion of that meal.
Healthy Immune System: The small intestine is the both where we absorb most of our nutrients and a major part of the immune system. Bone broth coats and supports the small intestine to protect it from infection.
Joint Health: The collagen within bone broth promotes mobility and function of the joints. Collagen helps the joints glide smoothly, decreasing pain from lack of mobility. Collagen has even been used in the prevention and treatment of joint injuries such as tendon repairs.
Sleep Aid: The glycine found in bone broth has been linked to lowering body temperature which helps relax the body and prepare it for sleep.
Anti-Inflammatory: The proteins in bone broth support a number of bodily functions as mentioned above which decreases inflammation.

Glass of hot grass-fed, gut-healthy beef bone broth.

Ways To Incorporate Bone Broth Into Your Diet

Other than straight up sipping on a cup of warm broth (which is delicious and soothing by the way but perhaps not for everyone), there are a few other ways to include bone broth in your diet.

Soups: this is an obvious one, but also an easy way to make a variety of different soups with a ton of nutrients.
Sauces: Instead of water, add broth to your sauces and gravies. It will give them a richer flavor and a greater nutrient content.
Oatmeal: This is my new favorite breakfast!! After fermenting the oats, I cook them up in broth. Add a little butter and an egg on top, and you have a quick and easy savory breakfast.

How To Find the Best Bones For Broth

When making bone broth, it is best to get the highest possible quality. We most often make bone broth from beef bones since they seem to be the easiest and cheapest to find. However, you can also use chicken, pork, and lamb among others. Grass-fed beef bones will be the most nutrient dense. Additionally, you want to ensure that the animal you are getting the bones from is raised well and is handled with care and cleanliness. The best way to do this is to find a local farmer who raises their own grass-fed beef and visit the farm. Many of these types of farmers will willingly share exactly how their animals are raised and cared for. Something that is not easy to find in corporate America where businesses cut corners. The Weston A. Price Foundation is a great resource to find local farmers.

How To Make Gut Healing Bone Broth

Gut Healthy Beef Bone Broth

The Regenerative Sower

Print Recipe

Course Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine All Natural, Soups

Servings 15 Cups

Ingredients

15 cups Cold Filtered Water
5-6 lbs Grass-Fed Bones
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1.5 Tbsp Sea Salt (non-iodized)
1 Tsp Peppercorns
1 sprig Fresh Thyme (or 1 tsp of dried)
2-3 Bay Leaves
Juice of 1 Lemon optional

Instructions

Salt and pepper the bones (this is in addition to the ingredients above) and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. If making in the Instant Pot, you can also use the "Saute" option to broth the bones. I have also thrown the bones in completely frozen and it works too but provides a bit different flavor.
Add all ingredients to stock pot or Instant Pot.
If cooking on the stove top, bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer for 8-24 hours. Skim fat and impurities off the top occasionally especially after the first hour.
If cooking in the Instant Pot set the "Soup/Broth" option for 3 hours. Also, set the "Keep Warm" option, so it depressurizes more slowly to lock in more nutrients.
Strain broth using a cheesecloth or strainer.
Stir in lemon juice.

Keyword Freezer Friendly, Gut Health, Instant Pot

Storage

If stored in the fridge, it will last for about 1 week. Since the process of making bone broth can be a little cumbersome, especially if you don’t have an Instant Pot, finding a good way to store the broth is key for always keeping it on hand. Last year, we canned multiple batches in quart jars which has been handy to supplement when I don’t have time to make it during the week. This year, I am using quart jars to freeze batches. Keep in mind that I still plan to make about 1 batch per week in the Instant Pot since we drink it every day. However, the large batches I make will get frozen to pull out as needed.

Want more tips and tricks for making the best bone broth? I would love to share all I have learned from making this recipe every single week for the past year. I have put together a list of the top 6 ways to ensure your broth turns out nutritious and delicious! It can be downloaded below.