Broth to the Rescue: Nourishing and soothing; healing to the gut and rich in minerals and electrolytes

Have we talked about broth in detail yet? Perhaps if I’ve seen you in my office or if we have shared a meal together I have extolled the virtues of rich and fragrant broths.  Not only are broths super nutritious, but they are incredibly useful in the kitchen and  flexible with flavors.

Bone and vegetable broths are mineral-rich and alkalizing. Using an acid when making bone broths draws out the calcium, other minerals and a host of other beneficial compounds. The minerals and electrolytes help to alkalize, energize, and hydrate. Many of the compounds found in the marrow and connective tissue are very healing to the digestive tract and can be especially beneficial for people suffering form digestive upset or disease. Broth is essential for anyone going through chemotherapy or with any form of colitis. Broths are also nourishing to the joints and can help keep them cushioned and supple. Their mineral content and alkalizing properties keep calcium in balance and support strong bones.

I make broth from:

Chcken- the carcass leftover after roasting a whole, organic chicken with the stems of the herbs used to marinate the bird

Beef- the bones from roasts or the ”soup bones” from our grass-fed beef package

Fish- buying a whole fish (salmon especially here in the Northwest!) is often a better price per pound! You can have the fishmonger filet if for you and give you the bones and head. Two good size filets of salmon will make dinner and lunch for two and leave plenty of meat to cut into chunks and use in soup with your rich, nourishing, salmon broth

I generally use the broth right away for a soup and /or freeze it in quart containers for use in soups, stews, or sauces. My favorite use is to freeze it in ice cube trays and have it on hand when needed.

Ingredients

1. Bones from poultry, fish, shellfish, beef, lamb*

• Raw bones, with or without skin and meat**
• Cooked remnants from a previous meal, with or without skin and meat
• Whole fish carcasses, shellfish shells, small dried shrimp
• Roasting a whole chicken is a great way to have healthy protein on hand and bones for a stock. You can make a couple of dinners and lunches out of the chicken (roasted with vegetables), use the bones for stock, and combine the leftover meat with beans and vegetables for a delicious soup.

 *Pork bones are generally not recommended for prepared ahead broth, but are cooked into stew and soup recipes (ex, ham hock in split  pea soup)

 **Raw bones and meat may first be browned in the oven or in the bottom of the stockpot to enhance flavor and color

2. Water- start with cold, filtered water

• Enough to cover the bones by about an inch (more if you are using additional vegetables)

 3. Add an acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar- apple cider, red or white wine, rice, balsamic

• A splash
• Or 1 teaspoon per 2 cups water  

4. Vegetables (optional) – peelings and scraps like ends, tops, and skins; or entire vegetable (like making vegetable stock)

• Celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and parsley are the most traditional. You may try other vegetables and especially other herbs such as the stalks from ones you have used in cooking: rosemary, thyme, oregano; use cilantro if you are making a soup using that flavor

Recipe

Combine bones, water, and vinegar in a pot; bring to a low boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Remove any scum that has risen to the top.

• Simmer for a minimum of 4-6 hours and up to 48 hrs for chicken or 72 hrs for beef
• To reduce cooking time, smash or cut bones into smaller pieces
• Add vegetables in the last few hours of cooking
• Strain through a colander or sieve; line with cheesecloth for a clearer broth; discard bones; reserve any cooked meat for soups or salads

 

You may cook in a crockpot on low setting. Its ok to not scrap off the impurities, it will add more flavor. If you wish to remove the fat for use in gravy, use a gravy separator while the broth is warm or skim the fat off the top once refrigerated.

Cold broth will gel when sufficient gelatin is present. Broth may be frozen for months or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days

Uses

1. Soups

• Use chicken broth for any soup. Go Latin American style with pinto beans (sprouted of course!), chicken, squash and cilantro or try Italian with white beans and/or pork, tomatoes, and kale.
• Beef broth is great for meatball soup such as “Albondigas”, and using in slow simmering dishes such as roasts, Bolognese sauce, and goulash. (I especially love this albondigas recipe because it provides a powerful antioxidant punch with an incredible assortment of herbs that can all be grown in your garden or countertop!)
• Fish broth works well as a base for a potato, tomato, celery, and lemon juice fish stew
• Any broth makes a delicious miso soup. Add shitake mushrooms, wakame seaweed, ginger, and lemon for an immune system boost
• A rice congee is especially nice when you are sick or low energy. Cook 1 cup of white rice in 6-8 cups of broth (more liquid or less rice for brown rice) until it forms a porridge, add vegetables, a protein source, and any desired herbs

 

Image via Wikipedia

 

2. Cooking liquid

• Use to cook rice, beans, or other grains. Try garbanzos cooked in chicken broth for a roasted garlic hummus.
• Have frozen cubes on hand to add moisture to any dish that needs it; especially useful when stir-frying or braising and as a liquid for mashed potatoes (a great way to avoid milk and butter is to use broth)

3. Gravy

• Simmer vegetable or meat in broth until cooked, remove to a plate, thicken broth with cornstarch or arrowroot, and pour over like a gravy
• Put fat (removed from broth, or use butter)in a skillet; add any type of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, stir constantly until browned, whisk in broth and cook until thickened; add salt and pepper to taste. Put on vegetables, meat, or biscuits

4. Beverage

• Add salt and sip broth like tea. This is especially nice in the winter or if you are sick and is tastiest with a broth heavy in vegetables or made only of vegetables.
• Store in a thermos and sip throughout the day
• The most traditional use for seasoned broth is as a first course to enhance digestion.

Related Articles

• The Perfect Pot of Primal Soup (marksdailyapple.com)