Bone broth (GAPS)

Slow cooked, full of flavour beef bone broth

The first row of healing bricks, the fundamental / essential building material in GAPS is bone broth. A slow cooked, nutrient dense, rich in flavours broth made from the bones and joints of grass fed beef or lamb, or free roaming chicken. Fish broth also good for the purpose - healing the damaged gut.

To make a good tasting bone broth you will need only four ingredients:
1 kg beef stock bones (or lamb, or chicken)
a good pinch of coarse Himalayan rock salt
4 black peppercorns, crushed (omit for AIP)
filtered water

1. Rinse the bones, then put them in a slow cooker.*
2. Add salt and pepper (not for AIP), just crush them flat with a pestle. Cover with water.
I usually add around 3 litres.
3. Cook on high heat for 1.5 - 2 hours, then set to low and let the slow cooker do it's job for about 12 to 18 hours.

Tips: I used to set my slow cooker up right after breakfast, and not thinking about dinner until 6 pm, but lately I prefer to put my slow cooker on just after dinner and let it take care of next day's dinner on its own. The end result is a rich, full of flavour bone broth with a golden colour.

* Do not have a slow cooker? Not a problem. Put the bones and seasonings in a stock pot, bring to boil, skim off the foam, reduce the heat to minimum, cover with a lid, and gently simmer for 3 to 4 hours.

4. Filter the broth through a sieve, so the little bone fragments, sharp pieces do not end up in your golden healing liquid.
5. Fill up a bowl or a cup, add 1 thinly sliced, well crushed or minced wet garlic clove, and 1 tbsp sauerkraut juice (per bowl or cup). Sip and enjoy!

Tips: If there is some meat on the bone, add a little and some jellied joint pieces to your soup.

6. Put the rest of the filtered soup in a glass container with a lid and place it into the refrigerator. Warm up a cup of broth when you need it.

Recipe adapted form: Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride

[i] For more GAPS recipe ideas please visit my GAPS recipes selection.