Yes to Bone Broth Even in the Summer!

Making Bone Broth in the Instant Pot

From a Chinese Medicine or Ayurvedic Medicine perspective, raw foods are hard on the spleen and can decrease your digestive Qi.  I’m personally very sensitive to too many raw foods in my diet and right now I’m paying the price with my digestion and energy levels. This is especially tough in the summer because raw foods like fruit and salads are just so satisfying and cooling. Yesterday, I knew that I needed to get back on track with my daily dose of bone broth and other gut healing foods.  In the summer, you also have to be particularly careful not to eat foods that are too heating or you end up with a host of other yucky physical and emotional symptoms. Bone broth is a perfect solution for this. It’s not too heating, very easy to digest, and incredibly nourishing. I read all kinds of recipes for serving bone broth cold in the summer, but I just ended up sipping it for breakfast like I always do.  It was so satisfying. It may take me a few days, but I’m already starting to feel better.

A couple of really important notes about bone broth.  It’s delicious and one of the most nourishing foods you can consume. Bone broth is a straight shot (literally) of minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and trace minerals) and contains collagen which aids in mineralization of teeth and bones. Bone broth is also essential for healing the mucosal lining of the gut.  I always say, if you are not already using bone broth regularly for your general health, you should be!  Try the recipe below and enjoy incredible nourishment year round.

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How To Make Bone Broth:

If you are looking for our vegan recipes, check out our Vegan "Bone Stock" and our Beet and Nettle Herbal Broth!

Broth can be cooked on the stovetop on low heat, or in a slow cooker (crock pot), but my favorite way to prepare bone broth is in my instant pot!

Note that beef is more heating and a bit less appealing in the summer. Chicken or fish is a a better summer choice.
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I save all of my meat bones and veggie scraps in a bag in the freezer.  These are added to my broth.

Ingredients:

2-3 pounds of bones (Include 2-4 chicken feet if you have them), if using fish, use non-oily only. If using beef bones, you may want to roast them first for added flavor.) 
4 quarts of cold filtered water
2 Tbsp to ½ cup apple cider vinegar 
1 bunch parsley
2 bay leaves
Optionally add 1 -3 onions, 2-3 carrots, 2-3 celery stalks,  Most veggies are fine with the exception of cruciferous vegetables.
Optionally add spices as desired,
Optionally add 1-3 garlic cloves and 1-3 TB ginger

Directions:

-Put bones, meat, vinegar, water, any spices and all vegetables (except parsley) in stainless steel pot, crock pot or instant pot. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  In an instant pot, there is no need to let stand.
-If using an instant pot, set to 180 minutes on high and you’re done until straining! If using a stainless steel pot, bring to boil.
-Skim the scum off of the surface of the water.
-Reduce heat, cover and simmer. For fish, at least 2 hours; for poultry, at least 8 hours; for beef, at least 12 hours.
-Add the parsley in the last 10 minutes for crock pot or stove top..
-Strain, let cool, and refrigerate. Observe amount of gelatin in broth, and make adjustments to cooking time, and vinegar amount, accordingly.
-Optionally remove congealed fat that rises to the top.  I leave mine on.
-Freeze any broth that you won’t be using within 7 days.
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HERE is an instructional video for making bone stock in the Instant Pot

If you are looking to make medicinal bone broth and don't know where to find all of the amazing herbs, we have put together "Broth Bags" full of organic herbs and dry ingredients.  

Emmet drinking bone broth in the morning!