Beef broth is a staple in our house and in our kitchen! I add broth to recipes for taste, use it for fasting and also make healing beef broth soups. It is a bad day when my freezer is without a stock piling of beef broth.
Here are my top 4 reasons I love beef broth:
- Beef broth is good for your gut
Beef broth contains type II collagen, or gelatin, and is known for healing the gut. It can actually help to heal a sick and damaged gut. Beef broth can help constipation, leaky gut, inflammation and is key in all gut challenges. It can also reduce the sensitivity of food allergies or be able to reverse some of them. For my own gut, when I added in broth a few times a week I could tell my gut was less inflamed and was actually healing. When your digestive system is healthier everything in your body works better. You even absorb nutrients better. Which brings me to my next point.
2. Beef broth allows your body to absorb minerals
Beef broth contains many minerals and are very available for your body to absorb. When the GI system is inflamed or challenged you can’t absorb nutrients well. Broth will help the digestive system along with giving the body very bioavailable minerals contained in the broth. The minerals are extracted from the bones by adding apple cider vinegar to the broth. The vinegar helps pull out the minerals from the bones and into the broth so you get the highest level of minerals possible.
3. Beef broth helps with hair, skin and nails
Beef broth is high in collagen, which I said above helps with the gut. It also helps with the health of your skin, hair and nails. Many very expensive skin care products contain collagen. You can make beef broth for pennies, which is so much cheaper and better than the expensive and chemically-filled skin care lines.
4. It’s Versatile!
You can do so much with beef broth! I make it 2-3 times per month and put a couple of quarts in my fridge and freeze the rest to have on hand. I freeze the broth in quart sized mason jars and make sure to leave 2 inches of room at the top to allow for expansion during freezing. Do NOT freeze in half gallon mason jars. They are too big and will crack in the freezer. They expand too much and break even if you leave room at the top. I learned the hard way with that one. I also freeze broth in a muffin tin. I fill them to the top and freeze them. I take them out and let them sit on the counter for 15 minutes until they are just soft enough to pop out of the muffin tins. I store them in a gallon storage bag and take out a piece or two as I need it. I use it for broth soup, adding liquid to any recipe, and to drink warmed up in a mug. I think there are endless ways to use beef broth. I even give some to our dog, and she loves it.
Recipe for Crockpot Beef Broth
Ingredients
Start with 3 marrow bones. It is crucial that they are from 100% grass-fed cows. You don’t want the broth made from unhealthy cows.
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Himalayan Sea Salt
2 cups vegetables of choice: 1/2 onion, 3 carrots, celery, garlic
Purified water that fills the crockpot
Directions:
- Put all of the ingredients into a crock pot and set the time for a 4-hour cook time. Fill the crockpot with the filtered water leaving about 2 inches of space at the top. Cover it with a lid and let cook for 4 hours. After the 4 hours it will turn onto the warm setting. Allow the beef broth to stay on warm in the crockpot for 12-24 hours. Honestly, 24 hours is best to render all of the minerals.
- Once you have cooked your broth for 24 hours remove the meat from the bones (if there was any) and you can eat the meat. You can now strain the broth and put into mason jars to freeze.
- You can use the bones again and refill the crockpot with water and add more salt and vinegar into the water. Cook again for another 24 hours. You can do this with the same bones over and over again about 5 times. Once the bones start to disintegrate or fall apart, stop using them. You have gotten all of the minerals out of them.
- Don’t leave the broth in the crockpot for more than 3-4 days on warm. It will start to burn and taste pretty bad! You may have to throw it out and start over again.
Like I said before, I make broth about 2-3 times per month and make 3-4 crockpots full with the same bones. Super cost effective and you will never be without beef broth.
I also make chicken broth and you can find that recipe here
Do you make beef broth in your home?
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Kelli says
any tips for heating up? especially when drinking in a cup?
I’m doing my best to stay away from the microwave and need some tips:)
Dr. Meghan says
I drink it right out of the crockpot or on a little saucepan on the stove. I use my little saucepan all the time!!
Maren says
Where do you recommend getting marrow bones from?
Dr. Meghan Birt says
The best place I found them is at your local coop. Whole foods bones are often times NOT grass-fed, so I wouldn’t choose there. Directly from a farmer works too, if you have a connection!
hana says
My crockpot directions specifically mention that it is not advisable to leave anything on the warm setting for more than two hours. Should I care? This recipe call for leaving ingredients on warm setting for 12-24 hours…Can you please let me know your thoughts?
Dr. Meghan Birt says
Hi Hana-
I don’t know if I have a definitive answer for you. What kind of crockpot do you have?? I know that many different crockpot recipes have you cook things on high for 4 hours and then warm until you are ready to eat it… which is definitely longer than 2 hours. Maybe it’s your certain crockpot? I have a ceramic insert and I can keep things going for 24 hours without any problem.
Carol says
Is there any medical reason that I shouldn’t add a bunch of organic spices to liven this up a bit. I too have my crock pot going almost non-stop with beef or chicken broth. I need it as I am healing from systemic candida overgrowth. I’m just getting a little bored with the flavor… I usually drink it with a raw egg yolk mixed in.
Dr. Meghan Birt says
You can add as many spices/ veggies to broth as you want. I would say though, if the infection is in your upper gut (SIBO or Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) you would probably do better with no veggies in your broth. Just spices added that don’t add any extra fiber that would feed those guys! And, awesome with the egg yolk!!
Joy says
Hey Meghan, I just bought my bones today to make this. However, I have a question. Some other recipes I have been reviewing mention using 2/3lbs of bones instead if just 3 bones. I am curious if this makes the broth stronger or more concentrated. Do you notice your broth coming out gelatin like and rich and flavorful? I so excited and nervous about screwing it up. Thank you!
Meghan Birt says
Joy… there’s no real right or wrong way to make beef broth. But the more bones the more your broth will be gelatin. I like it with less bones (personally) so it’s not quite so strong. It’s a little harder to drink straight for me personally. But you can re-use your bones… so using more isn’t a waste or anything!
michelle says
Is there another way you can make beef broth if you don’t have a crock pot?
Meghan Birt says
Hey Michelle. You can make it on the stove. It takes a little more watching (because the stove is on) but works just as well. Some people say that it even tastes better on the stove.
Molly says
4 hours on high, I’m assuming? (Sorry if it says, I’m tired
Meghan Birt says
Yes :). Enjoy the broth!!
Andrea says
Some recipes that I’ve read say it’s imperative to roast the bones & meat in the oven first. Any thoughts? Perhaps they do this just for added flavor? I’m presuming it wouldn’t hurt the health benefits.
Meghan Birt says
I’ve heard and seen that before in many recipes. I think it helps the flavor but doesn’t have anything to do with the flavor of the broth. I don’t do it because I’m usually making broth quickly and that takes me more time.