Bone Broth

I haven't been making Bone Broth for very long, but I don't think I will ever be without it in my freezer.  It is so simple to make and it is great for your immune system, perfect for when you or your kids have a cold.  I haven't been to keen lately about taking medications or giving my family sugar filled cold medicine.  I have been more inclined to go the more natural route, ie Bone Broth or Chicken Noodle Soup (which is really a chicken version of Bone Broth.)

I'm sure that as you are reading this, you are wondering where you can get Beef Bones, no you don't have to special order them, you just go to your butcher!  Ask for Beef Bones for Marrow or Femur Bones.  You want them cut into 3-4" pieces, this can be easily done by your butcher's band saw.  I get mine from Handy Market in Burbank.  

Here is what you need:

6 3-4" Pieces of Beef Femur Bones

1 head of Garlic that has been cut in half

1/4 tsp ground Black Pepper

1 tbsp Grape Seed Oil (or any oil that you would prefer)

1 Fennel Bulb cut into quarters

1 Yellow Onion cut into quarters

3 Celery Stalks cut into 2" pieces

3 Carrots cut into 2" pieces

1 bunch of Parsley- Stems only- tied together with kitchen twine

Boquet Garni - a little sachet made of a piece of cheese cloth tied with a string.  Or you can use a tea diffuser sometimes, if the items will fit.

6 Dried Juniper Berries

1/4 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns

1 Star Anice

3" of Fresh Ginger that has been cut into pieces.

4 quarts of Water

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

2. Place the bones and garlic on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and ground black pepper

3. Roast the bones and garlic for 5-10 minutes on each side. 

4. While your bones and garlic are roasting, chop your veggies and make your Boquet Garni

5.  In a large stock pot, toss in all of the veggies, parsley stems and the boquet.  Let them get warmed up on all sides, and a little brown.  

6. When the bones are done, add them to the pot.  but don't forget the yummy bit that are left on the baking sheet.

7.  Cover everything with water.  If your pot can't fit 4 quarts, no worries!  Just fill enough to cover everything in the pot.

8.  Cover and bring to a slow simmer and forget about it!  The longer it goes the better it gets!  

9. When the broth has simmered away for hours and hours, I recommend straining it into a pitcher and putting it in the refrigerator for a t least a day.  Doing this, the fat will raise to the top (which will make it easy to skim off) and it will make it easy to pour into your freezer safe containers or baggies.  

I keep my leftover bones from when I make a Prime Rib, T-Bone Steaks or Short Ribs to add to the rest of the bones and goodies in my Bone Broth.  It adds great flavor and those bones still have the healthy marrow inside of them that is waiting to be used.  Your dog will nit like you very much, but they can have them after you are done.

I hope you make this!  I hope it brings you warmth and health. Cheers!