Boosting Immunity with Grass Fed Organ & Bone Broth

When cold and flu season makes its rounds, the first thing that comes to mind is homemade BONE BROTH. The simple nutrient-dense mixture of slow cooked antibacterial herbs, pastured bones and organ meats, makes for one powerful immune boosting superfood!

Bone Marrow and Beef Heart Broth

Recently, I've been making the highly flavorful bone marrow and beef heart combo soup broth. If you're in the Bay Area, Ca, I highly recommend sourcing your grass-fed meat from Brandon Natural Beef - the company recently added Grass Fed Slow- Cook and Organ Cuts to their product list. And you've already seen me mention that Jerky Chews are made from Brandon Natural beef, too.


While you will find pre-made broths in cans and boxes sold in supermarkets, keep in mind that those preservative-laden and over-salted soups will never come close to the nutrient profile of a homemade gelatin-rich broth that's actually health-promoting.

Don't take my word for it, try preparing this super easy recipe tonight!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of marrow bones (feel free to use any bones from pastured animals; necks, feet and wings of free range chickens yield lots more gelatin)
• 1/2 of beef heart (optional, but healthy for the heart & tastes delicious when prepared in the broth) 
• 4 celery stalks, chopped in half
• 2 whole carrots
• couple of garlic cloves
• 1 whole onion
• 1 tbs of apple cider vinegar (helps to draw minerals from bones for better calcium absorption)
• water
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Place the marrow bones and heart in a large pot or crock-pot. Add vinegar and cover with water. Bring to a boil. A large amount of scum will float to the top; remove with a spoon before adding in the rest of the ingredients: vegetables, herbs and salt. Reduce heat and simmer stock overnight (8 - 24 hours). 

Once ready, you'll find the broth rich in gelatin and containing lots of fat solids at the top. That would be tallow and can be used as great cooking fat. You can also just strain the fat with the rest of the vegetables, which are usually discarded as their flavor and nutrients get absorbed in the broth.

You can now drink the clear broth anytime of the day or add it as the base for sauces, stews, and soups. Enjoy the heart as is or add it to a meal with a homemade sauce. I like to chop up small portions of the heart to combine with my omelet the next morning. Remove the marrow from the bones and spread it over your omelet; remember to devour with the same appreciation as these Paleo Girls! The lucky pet who gets the bones will live a very healthy life.

Such simple recipe for preparing bone and organ broth can be made any time of the year to help prevent and treat infections.

Enjoy!