Beef Bone Broth Recipe

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Lately I’m doing meal prep as part of a weight loss plan and so I decided to get two bangs for my buck.  I purchased oxtails (Grass fed, hormone free, yada, yada, yada) and decided to cook the oxtails until the meat fell off of the bones and then scoop out the meat and continue cooking the bones.  Oxtails not your thing?  Not to worry!  You can go to most any butcher and grab a bag full of bones for next to nothing.  Whole Foods has them pre-bragged and yes, they are from the “good” cows (all the yada, yada, grass fed bells and organic whistles).  You will walk out with a bag for less than $USD 10 bucks.

 

As you would imagine it take a bit of time to get all the collagen out of the bones and into a broth.  That is why the Crock Pot is so key.  It reduces your time investment to purchasing bones, chopping a few veggies, covering it all with water and turning on a timer.  Okay, when it is done you’ll have to strain off some bits and store it properly, but overall it is well worth it when you consider a place like Brodo (which I LOVE) charges $119 to have six  30 oz containers delivered to your door.  It is worth the price, don’t get me wrong.  However, since I am preparing for IVF next month, every penny counts and I’m saving my pennies for my baby!

 

Here is what I used to make about 3 quarts (or ½ a Brodo shipment) for about an 1/8 of the price.

 

What you'll need: 

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3 carrots, cut into chunks

3 celery stalks, roughly cut

1 small onion, roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves (to taste, I love garlic)

A few sprigs of Rosemary, thyme and Italian parsley (or whatever fresh herbs you have that you would like in a soup.  Unless you go with lamb bones, then definitely include rosemary!)

2 tbls of Bragg Organic apple cider vinegar

Salt (Kosher, Mediterranean or pink Himalayan salt). 

 

3 lbs. of beef bones.  (I’m using oxtails)

 

Water

 

How to Cook:

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place oxtails on a parchment lined backing sheet.  I marinate my oxtails for a bit in apple cider vinegar and water with seasons and herbs.  I include some the herbs when I transfer the oxtails from the marinade to the backing sheet.   Place them on the sheet with one side of the bone touching the sheet.  Bake the oxtails for 30 minutes and then turn them over. 

 

Place all the veggies in the bottom of the crockpot; place the bones on top and then the fresh herbs.  Cover the entire contents with water and turn the Crock Pot on and set the timer for 10 hours. 

 

After the 10 hours, I remove the meat from the oxtail bones and continue cooking the bones for another 8 hours.  If you are using just bones, check the pot to see how things are looking.  The bones should look “bone dry” and you’ll know all the collagen has cooked off the bones and you are ready to strain off your broth. Ensure there is enough water in the pot and set the timer for a few more hours, if there is still anything left on the bones.

 

How to Store:

 

Use a strainer to separate your broth from all the other ingredients.  You can discard (or compost) all the bones and veggies.  I store my broth in Mason jars.  Whatever you use to store your broth, remember to let it cool first.  Especially if you are using plastic, you want the broth to cool before you put it into the container. 

 

After putting it in the Mason jars, I wait until it is room temperature before putting them in the freezer.  If there is any fat left in the broth (there is plenty when I use oxtails) it will float to the top and you can scoop it off the top when you open the jar. 

 

If you freeze it, the broth can last a few months.  If you store it in the fridge you want to use it in 3-5 days.

 

How to Eat it:

 

You can heat it up and drink just like coffee.  It’s going to look like Jell-O when you take it out of the jar and you can scoop it into your pot (or cup, if you are going to pop it in the microwave, no judgment here!)

 

I also use it instead of water in my rice, couscous or quinoa. 

 

If you try this recipe, please let me know how it turns out and any creative uses you discover for your bone broth.

 

Here’s a great book by Brodo with lots of bone broth recipes:  Brodo: A Bone Broth Cookbook 

 

Until next time, put something yummy in your mouth!

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*Affiliate links are used in this post, which compensates me for referrals at no additional cost to you.  Enjoy!