Magical Mineral Bone Broth (with Vegan Options)
Bone broth and mineral broth are both excellent sources of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Bone broth, as the name suggests, is a broth that comes from boiling the bones of either chicken, lamb, beef, or other animals; it is an incredible source of collagen and other vital nutrients and amino acids to help heal the gut. On the other hand, there are many reasons why a vegan mineral broth would be preferred. If you have dietary restrictions or are an Orthodox Christian in a fasting season, then you are going to want a "go-to" recipe for a mineral-packed broth to use in soups, stews, and even just to drink on its own as a hot beverage.
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Ingredients
- Ingredients for Vegan Mineral Broth
- 4-8 unpeeled carrots cut into thirds
- 1-2 unpeeled yellow onions cut into chunks
- Leek white and green parts, cut into thirds
- 1 bunch celery including the heart, cut into thirds
- Unpeeled red potatoes quartered
- Unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes quartered
- 1-2 cups of kale washed and chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 8-inch strip of kombu*
- 5 unpeeled cloves garlic halved (optional if you have digestive issues with garlic)
- Spices such as: black peppercorns whole allspice berries, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, oregano, star anise
- 8-10 quarts cold filtered water
- 1-5 teaspoons sea salt depending on the taste
- *Kombu is a mineral-rich seaweed in the kelp family that adds an umami or savory flavor to stocks and broths. Kombu is usually found in the Asian section of a grocery store near the nori (seaweed sheets) that are used for sushi, or you can find it at Whole Foods market. Store dried Kombu in a cool dark area in your pantry.
- Ingredients for Addition of Animal Carcass for a Rich Bone Broth
- Bones and carcass of 1 roasted chicken or beef bones**
- 1-3 tablespoons lemon juice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar**
- 4-5 more cups filtered water
Instructions
- Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu. In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the carrots, onions, leek, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, kale, garlic, parsley, kombu, peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, any other spices, and lemon juice or vinegar of choice. Fill the pot with the water to 2 inches below the rim, cover, and bring to a boil. If making bone broth, add the chicken carcass or beef bones into the water as well (it can be frozen still, or you can thaw it beforehand).
- Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2-10 hours (Bone broth will likely take 8-12 hours). As the broth simmers, about 1/3 of the water will evaporate; add more water if the vegetables or bones begin to peek out. Simmer until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted.
- Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh strainer to remove all the bones and vegetables (remember to use a heat-resistant container underneath), then add salt to taste.
- Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing. Either use immediately or store in glass jars.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for 4-6 months. Just be sure to leave a couple inches at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.
Notes
Important Note: with broths, don't overthink it. You can pretty much put any vegetable into a broth (except broccoli, squash, and beets) and it will infuse its nutrients into your broth! So don't worry so much about specific quantities of various vegetables, just put in the vegetables you like. All the ingredients below are just suggestions.
*Kombu is a mineral-rich seaweed (in the kelp family) that adds an umami or savory flavor to stocks and broths. Kombu is usually found in the Asian section of a grocery store near the nori (seaweed sheets) that are used for sushi, or you can find it at Whole Foods market. Store dried Kombu in a cool dark area in your pantry.
** A great, easy way to get a whole roasted chicken is by buying a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from Costco or Whole Foods (it's only $7.99 for a whole chicken at our Whole Foods Market!). Eat all the meat off of it, and then save the carcass in your freezer in an airtight bag until you have the time to make your broth. ***Acidity is added primarily because the acidity breaks down the collagen and makes it more abundant in the broth. You can also sub lemon juice, but apple cider vinegar brings a great flavor. Pro tip: collect leftover bones and vegetable trimmings (like the ends of onions or celery, mushroom stems, ends or peels of carrots or parsnips) in a separate "scrap" bag in the freezer, plus any veggies or herbs that are starting to go downhill. Then, when you're ready to make some bone broth, you have everything you need in the freezer! Bone broth typically gelatinizes when refrigerated because of the collagen content. But don't worry — that's normal. When reheated it liquifies once again, just like store-bought chicken broth. This can also be done in an instapot or crockpot. For crockpots/slow cookers, cook on low for 14-16 hours.
** A great, easy way to get a whole roasted chicken is by buying a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from Costco or Whole Foods (it's only $7.99 for a whole chicken at our Whole Foods Market!). Eat all the meat off of it, and then save the carcass in your freezer in an airtight bag until you have the time to make your broth. ***Acidity is added primarily because the acidity breaks down the collagen and makes it more abundant in the broth. You can also sub lemon juice, but apple cider vinegar brings a great flavor. Pro tip: collect leftover bones and vegetable trimmings (like the ends of onions or celery, mushroom stems, ends or peels of carrots or parsnips) in a separate "scrap" bag in the freezer, plus any veggies or herbs that are starting to go downhill. Then, when you're ready to make some bone broth, you have everything you need in the freezer! Bone broth typically gelatinizes when refrigerated because of the collagen content. But don't worry — that's normal. When reheated it liquifies once again, just like store-bought chicken broth. This can also be done in an instapot or crockpot. For crockpots/slow cookers, cook on low for 14-16 hours.