#077 What is Broth?
What is broth?
Broth has been elevated to a cult-like status in niche health circles. Everyone seems to believe that there’s some kind of magical formula and recipe for it. Yet, when you think about it, broth is really just an extraction. It’s using water as a medium to (1) extract nutrients from thicker cuts of bones and meat that otherwise would have been wasted and (2) adding vegetables, herbs & spices to increase nourishment.
And we’ve known this for a while. Hippocrates himself said that broth would relieve digestive issues, and routinely prescribed it as medicine. These days, broth is being used to strengthen gut health. It’s rich in gelatin and collagen, which directly supports gut health, soothes your digestive lining & reduces inflammation. However, understand that this depends on what you INCLUDE in your broth.
Kaya made this post recently, and she mentions a key distinction between broth that’s rich in collagen and one that isn’t. If the broths you’ve been making at home have not been “wiggly and jello-like”, it means it’s really low in collagen. This is the case with a lot of store-bought broths as well.
Broth will only be collagen-rich if you use collagen-rich meat. Simply using bones themselves will not give you such a yield. This is why oxtail is a staple for me in most of my broths.
So, how do you make your own broth at home?
Ingredients:
High quality bones & gelatinous cuts of meat
Fresh vegetables, herbs and spices (Celery, leeks, carrots, kale. Experiment with various vegetables, they all add a slightly different flavor profile to your broth. Rosemary. Thyme. Garlic. Onions. Tellicherry peppercorns.)
Again, experiment with different herbs and spices, and even use the skins (of onions) and the stems of herbs! This is also the opportunity to throw quality scraps and random things you'd never really consume (like parmigiano reggiano rinds and carrot tops)
Note: Don't skimp on the quality of any of the ingredients. Buy the best quality you can. The last thing you want to do is leach harmful herbicides in a pot of healthy broth. Now that you have your ingredients, you're going to need a stainless steel pot (minimally 3-ply) and quality water (spring is best).
Rough Broth Guide:
Place bones in pot. Rinse your bones and place them in your pot. They should cover no more than a third.
Fill the pot with water until it's about an inch off the top. It might seem like too much, but trust — the water will reduce as the broth cooks. Get the pan on medium heat and let it come to a simmer (medium sized bubbles only, if the bubbles become big REDUCE heat!)
Remove SCUM! Scum is the nasty bits in bones we want to get rid of. Getting this out is also key in making a clear broth. The good thing is that scum rises to the top. Just skim it off the top.
This is where you let the magic happen. Simply wait. Let the broth simmer and the bones will release everything they have.
I like adding all my vegetables, herbs & spices towards the end (about 2 hours before completion).
And... you're done! Let it cool and fill a few glass jars in serving size. This way, you can freeze as many as you like in the freezer and very easily keep a month's supply FRESH. Simply transfer to the refrigerator whenever you want to use it. Pour it on a pan to heat up in the morning, and sip on it first thing. Liquid gold for your gut. Trust me... Do this ONCE!
And you'll understand just how beneficial it is. Broth made this way completely destroys ANY bone broth you buy off the shelf. It's cheaper AND more nutritious. Literally a no brainer.
How do you make your broth? Share it in the comments below👇
Balanced Diets Over Everything
While sensationalist diets will always take the headlines, we'll always preach one that's BALANCED — as that's how human beings were always meant to eat. This is the WARKITCHEN philosophy 🥂
Rotational Grazing is the Future
We need to talk about rotational grazing. All the billions of dollars spent trying to create fake meat in a lab should be used to convert factory farms into regenerative agriculture farms — where rotational grazing is a key practice.
Two Modes Only
You have to be operating in two modes. Either immerse yourself completely, or switch the light off and engage in extreme leisure. No in between.
ISSUE 24
We release Issue 24 of the WARKITCHEN magazine last Sunday! Enjoy the experience.
❋ School of Tapas: Apple paste with Manchego cheese
“This apple paste is similar to the famous quince paste, dulce de membrillo, a true staple food in many Spanish regions (I'm sure you'd be treated to this dulce in the Spanish villas in the region of Castilla La Mancha...). Similarly apple paste and strong cheeses go together like a horse and a carriage. Here I have paired dulce de manzana with a hearty Manchego cheese. An easy tapa not to be missed.”
❋ Three Vintage-Inspired Hotels
Thank you for joining us on this beautiful Sunday ladies & gents! Have a wonderful rest of your day, wherever you are in the world 🥂
❋ Read our most recent WARKITCHEN issues:
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God Bless,
— ROCKY
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Love this, Rocky. Here’s my highly scientific approach: https://cowwedoin.substack.com/p/bone-broth-the-science-of-cookery