I hope you saved the carcass from your Thanksgiving turkey…

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Bones, water and a little apple cider vinegar… Simmer for approximately 24 hours and then strain the broth.

Are you drinking bone broth?  I wasn’t until recently.  I have quickly become a believer in it– both for health as well as for its incredible flavor.  I’m also into the idea of not wasting good, nourishing food.  Never will I go back to bouillon or canned broths.

Bone broth (also called bone stock) seems to be one of the latest dietary trends.  I keep reading and hearing about it like it’s something new, but it’s really not.  Bone broth is a traditional dietary staple that our great grandparents and earlier ancestors relied on regularly for nutrition.  Somehow it became forgotten, likely when convenient canned broths and soups grew in popularity.  To be embarrassingly honest, I wasn’t familiar with bone broth until this past year.  That’s likely due to my many years of veganism– which I now know was not the best thing for my health anymore.  Thankfully, I see food and health from a very different perspective these days.  Animal foods ARE incredible sources of nutrients to enhance our health and well-being.  Bone broth being one of the most nourishing things you haven’t been drinking….until now.

You can make bone broth from any animal– usually a cow, chicken or pig.  🐮🐔🐷

After cooking your animal and removing the meat from the bones to eat, place the bones along with a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a pot of water (enough water to cover the bones).  Add seasonings/spices too if you like.  I find it easiest to do this in my crock pot but it can be carefully done on the stove top as well.  A small amount of meat left on the bones is fine.  The cider vinegar helps to extract the minerals from the bones.  Simmer on low heat for about 24 hours, let cool a bit, strain and jar up your broth.  I store mine in the freezer, taking out a jar to thaw in the fridge as needed so that I can easily heat up a cup on the stove.  You can also use bone broth as a base for soup or stews.

According to Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan, MD, bone and joint health are two excellent reasons to drink bone broth:

Joint health:  Bone broth is rich in  collagen molecules called glycosaminoglycans which help keep our joints healthy.  You’ve probably heard of glucosamine supplements.  Why not get this nutrient naturally along with an entire complex of cartilage components through bone broth?

Bone health:  Bones are an excellent source of calcium.  Calcium along with other minerals leach into the broth making for a mineral rich beverage that is great for bone health.  Remember, it’s not only calcium that your bones need, but a wide array of nutrients.

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Bone broth from our Thanksgiving turkey this year, labeled and frozen in jars for convenient reheating.

Throughout history humans have used the entire animal, not discarding so much of it like we do today in America.  Not only the bones, but the organ meats (or offal) were prized for their impressive nutrition.  I rarely venture into the territory of organ meats, although I would like to try more of this.

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Heart cooked with onions– actually pretty good!  Heather at Watson Farm gave us one to try.  Much better than the chicken livers, in my opinion.

You can ask your local farmers for bones to make bone broth with.  Another thing I do is keep a zip-lock bag in the freezer to fill with bones when we cook smaller amounts of meat and when the bag is full it’s time to make a batch of bone broth.

Even if your turkey bones from Thanksgiving are long gone, consider saving future bones to make bone broth.  Some people claim it can improve skin, digestion and leaky gut.  Bones are far too rich in nutrients to throw away– plus, I believe it’s a way to honor, respect and give thanks to the creature who died.  I hope you try it if you haven’t.  If you have, please share with me any results you’ve noticed.  I haven’t been drinking it that consistently, but I do know when I sip a hot cup on a cool day I just feel good.  Like I always say, pay attention to how different foods make YOU feel.  We are all unique and learning what makes you feel your best opens up the doorway for you to live your most authentic and meaningful life.

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